


Online Age

by lokidiabolus



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Gaming, Online Relationship, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-04-27 21:17:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 77,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5064484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokidiabolus/pseuds/lokidiabolus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Evelyn Trevelyan felt the need of change - different homeland, different job, different neighbourhood. She was ready to lead a new, satisfying adult life in Ferelden without her family breathing on her neck and measuring her every step. Instead she got a half functioning flat, a country that smelled like a wet dog, a job that wasn't what she wished it would be and nobody she could talk to in person or ask for help. The only escape route to soothe her nerves was a new online game Dragon Age that was going to give her more than what she bargained for...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [somebodyloving](https://archiveofourown.org/users/somebodyloving/gifts).



> I had this idea in my head for some time and wasn't sure to which fandom I should apply it to. It sort of worked more for female/male relationship, so after several days of searching for a fandom where it wouldn't seem strange or a fandom I have at least something to contribute to (because, to be honest, I don't have many female/male pairings I'd like to write about), I stopped at Dragon Age Inquisition (I even considered the 100 show with Bellamy and Clarke, but there is like... nothing in the series for them to hint they would work out as lovers so far, so :D).
> 
> I love the Dragon Age series dearly, finished all of them and even though in Inqusition there are so many pairings I adore (like Dorian x Inqusitior or Dorian x Iron Bull or Solas x Lavellan and so on), I've decided to aim this at Cullen x Inquisitior. For one, I've promised to write something about them for the lovely somebodyloving, and for two - Cullen is an adorable puppy and as far as his romance is maybe too easy and smooth, it's just so very nice and romantic, sort of like Alistair and the Cousland romance in the first game.
> 
> So yeah. This is one of many already existing sickeningly sweet romances including Cullen. And my passion - online gaming. Also, sorry for all the mistakes, English is not my first language :)

Evelyn never thought moving into another state was an issue. When she planned the date, the exact place, called the owner and made the deal, she actually felt excitement of a change, of independence from the Trevelyan family business that awaited her. She didn’t hear the pleas of her mother to stay at least within reach, she refused her father’s jaded remarks of how she couldn’t even buy proper food for a week that wouldn’t consist of crackers, sweets and apples, or cook for herself. She turned down offers from her cousin Lotharn to come live with her in Nevarra and thought it was amusing when her great-aunt Lucille called the other day to ask if Evelyn was actually moving in with her lesbian girlfriend.

Evelyn didn’t know until now who exactly Lucille meant, nor where her being lesbian came from. She left her to it though, much less of an amusement of her mother.

Maybe it was the pressure of her family who tried to dissuade her from the moving that kept her going with such vigour, not caring about their opinions – or consequences on that matter. She never stopped packing, making calls to make sure her new home was ready to use, her new work prepared for her arrival, the movers scheduled to the exact day and hour. All her belongings were neatly folded in boxes and bags, labelled for easier unpacking, protected with a bubble foil or polystyrene.

Her mother even called her out for it, telling her: “Y _ou never had your room this clean when you were living here! After living in a mess, now you’re putting names on the boxes and keep a list, for God’s sake.”_

Her father wasn’t talking to her since the moment he realized she couldn’t be swayed. The last thing he said was solemn _you’ll crawl back soon enough_ , and then decided to ignore her very presence. She couldn’t say she wasn’t sad about it, but her father was always a hot head, who thought tough love worked on everyone.

Well, it probably worked on her, usually. But not now.

She was ready for this.

It all worked out in the end – the movers arrived in time, her ride picked her up just few minutes late, her family mostly kept the glares to themselves and several long, tiresome hours later she found herself in Ferelden.

In very cold, very wet and very rainy Denerim city, inviting her in with grey sky and chilly weather, and at first she thought it was a bit of a nightmare and she needed to wake up.

“Well,” Philliam tugged his coat closer to his body, squinting against the drizzle that was falling from the sky. “Nice place, yeah?”

“Yeah,” she squeezed out of her, checking one more time if the address of her new home was correct, and looked up to the building that corresponded with the right numbers.

It was old as balls.

“Have fun, I guess,” he patted her on her shoulder and it was apparent he didn’t like the place, nor the weather, or the country, and just wanted to get away as fast as he could. She understood, for a moment a swell of panic raised in her, once all the responsibility issues crashed on her shoulders like a heavy weight.

Of course she hadn’t expected a palace. She didn’t even think it would be anything close to the house her family owned in Ostwick – spacy, bright and, well, rich. But even though she kept low, believable hopes for her new home, this wreck made her unsteady and kind of desperate.

“Want me to help you unpack or something?” Philliam asked and she could tell from his tone he was actually begging her to say no so he could run away. At first she thought of not letting him, to keep one known face around her, even though he would be suffering (ha, suffering, like one old house and help to a family member would be a torture! Maybe just a little), but then she just mutely shook her head and offered a weak smile.

“Kay,” he bowed his head a little and threw one more glance at the shabby building Evelyn was now ought to call home. “Take care, Eve.”

“You too,” she whispered and he probably didn’t even hear her in a flurry of motions of kissing her cheek, hugging her fast and storming back into his car. She watched him starting the engine and driving off almost in a trance, with a luggage and two bags resting next to her, slowly getting wet, and the more she was breathing in the different air than she was used to, the more despair she felt.

She was _not_ ready for this.

***

She knew Ferelden was cold and smell like wet dogs, it was a common knowledge. Must have been also because about everyone had at least one dog at home, in the garden, around the house or a tiny flat. It was like a must when you were living there and she thought her neighbours were eying her suspiciously every time she saw them during the moving in, while walking their own dog (a goddamn huge dog on top of that – its barking was like a thunderstorm coming).

The first hour in her new home was a bit atrocious. The heating in her attic flat didn’t work because the heaters were full of air, water had been rather yellow at first thanks to old pipes and there was a wet spot on the ceiling in the right corner of her living room. The flat was dirty and dusty, apparently nobody had the need to clean it up a little for the new tenant, and when she walked in, an evident smell of staleness hit her like a fist.

She tried very hard to ignore the weird looks movers were giving her while pulling up all the furniture and boxes, like they were maybe pitying her, or thought she was crazy to taking this place to live in. But really, the photos were fine, she got promised the flat was renovated – and, well, it didn’t look old or anything, there were newly made windows and the kitchen seemed very nice (and dusted). She actually liked the bathroom; it had a big bathtub and made her feel warmer thanks to the yellow-orange-red colouring. It just didn’t feel like somebody lived here for a long time – or they did and they made it look like shit.

She planned everything she needed to do and made another list that consisted of buying cleaning products and scented candles or at least oils and aroma lamps to get the terrible smell out of here. It reminded her of a second hand shops full of clothes that smelled like somebody died in them, staleness and dirt clinging to it, and it made her open the windows immediately – despite the cold.

She kept on fretting over the place all the time movers were working, the stress dropping off her under the onslaught of duties that kept on piling up, and it made her kind of relieved, since the helplessness almost crushed her for a moment.

Well, until the movers were done, got paid and left.

When the door closed and she found herself alone again in the midst of boxes and wrapped up furniture like Christmas presents while the cold was sweeping through the windows unmercifully, she realized one thing.

She was alone.

There was a leaky ceiling. Rusty pipes. Non-functional heaters. Smelly rooms. Dirt everywhere. And she couldn’t call _anyone_ she knew to help, because there was _no one_ around. She was so, so alone. She could hear her mother’s _I told you so_ in her head as if she was standing next to her, and there was this foolish thought of calling the movers again to pack the things and get her back home.

She had to sit down and she remained that way for half an hour, breathing in and out the weird air around her while trying to calm down her nerves. It didn’t really work. She held her phone in her hand, ready to dial the company number, and there was just something really small screaming at her _not to_.

_Probably my shattered pride_ , she thought bitterly. If she returned after all those months of bragging how independent she was going to be, how she didn’t need them to fret over her anymore, how she could deal with life like a proper human being, it would only prove _their_ point.

She didn’t want that. It was just a moment of weakness, a shock, she told herself. If the flat was nice and cosy, she wouldn’t be this devastated, she knew it. It wasn’t even _that_ bad, just… needed a bit of adjusting.

She took a deep breath and got back up. Her phone was burning in her hand and she put it away, just in case, out of reach. The clock was already showing something past seven in the evening and she knew there was no point in leaving the flat right now. So she unpacked only those things she needed for sleeping (dragged the bed where she needed it, pulled out her blanket and pillows and put on clean sheets and then only pushed other stuff out of the way so she wouldn’t kill herself on a trip to the bathroom during the night) and then curled up on the bed, took a laptop and tried not to think of anything.

“Oh thank god, there really _is_ a wi-fi as promised,” she breathed out in relief when the network worked when she put in the password she got from the owner. Several e-mails popped up at her immediately, new work related and from friends inquiring how her new home was, and she wondered if she really was going to be alright here.

 

**_Sender: <GayLord>_ **

**_Subject: Loser!_ **

_H_ _ey Trevelyan! Heard you quitted LoL, loser! Got tired of Platinum? Anyway – I’ve found something more sissy for you to keep your free time occupied, interested? Well, of course you are, what an irrelevant question. Try Dragon Age! It’s not rly like LoL, but since you kept on whining about needing a story, you can cry about this one. It’s pretty new and I like it so far, so either join up or we are not friends anymore. Lol jk, add me as Kirk_Champ there, k? Inquisition server. Cuz nobody expect the Spanish Inquisition._

_Cheers, Hawke_

 

“Oh my god, Hawke…” she pinched the bridge of her nose while re-reading the e-mail like she couldn’t believe it was real. She quitted League of Legends because she was moving, getting a new job and seriously thought she was going to change her lifestyle, finally. But nope, here he was, dragging her into another game she was probably going to love to death, because quite frankly she and Hawke had pretty same tastes in games and it was an unshakable fact, so she didn’t even try to fight it.

“Maybe I need it… for a while,” she looked around the messy place and bit down her lower lip. Another addiction versus insanely rough reality? An easy choice.

She clicked the link Hawke sent her and let the game download in the background while going through the rest of her e-mails.

***

“So not just that you moved to another country, you also decided we have to assume you’re dead?!”

“Hi mum,” she sighed into her phone and cringed when her mother’s voice got even louder. “I’m sorry, I was busy unpacking.”

_Unpacking the game and creating a character while my flat still looks like a bomb exploded here._

“I don’t know why you bother, just buy a dog and that’s all you need in that blighted Ferelden,” her mum didn’t disappoint and Evelyn rolled her eyes while watching the game unfolding. The graphic side of this game looked awesome, she had to admit. It had a nice, thorough customization, apparently several initial story options – it reminded her of Guild Wars 2 – and complex class/job system that could have been combined and even changed during the game. She always thought that option was pretty neat when included in a game. And there were several races to pick from as well, leading to an interesting background the character could have. It made sense why Hawke liked it, as much as he was fine with story-free killing for fun; he was a slut for complex lore and mysterious storylines. This game seemed to have both.

“Not _everyone_ has a dog here,” she protested. At least she didn’t have one, that also counted.

“Philliam said the house was a disaster!” another rant and Evelyn groaned. Of course Philliam couldn’t keep _that_ to himself. Definitely didn’t tell her how he ran away in a frightened chicken fashion, did he.

Wait, was she already in game for this long that Phililam made it home? She quickly glanced at the time on her notebook and pinched the bridge of her nose. It was already ten, of course he did.

“The house is alright,” she lied. “It just looks shabby from the outside. The flat is renovated and everything, it’s fine.”

Well, it wasn’t a complete lie – the flat _was_ renovated. Just dirty. And half functional.

“Send me a photo of that _fine flat_ ,” her mother didn’t disappoint and Eve glanced around, cringing a little. If she sent a picture of this, her mum would probably hire somebody to kidnap Evelyn and bring her back home right that moment.

“After all is unpacked,” she told her resolutely. Her mother didn’t have any power over her now, no matter how much she raised her voice. It was Eve’s place, Eve’s home and she ruled here. Even though she always had a deep respect of her mother’s strict nature, she moved to be free of the influence – and not just hers, but the whole Trevelyan family. No chance she was going to give in at the first sign of trouble and the raised tone her mum used.

“You said you were already unpacking,” another jab landed and Evelyn frowned – more at the screen than what her mother just said. The game wasn’t overly difficult or anything, but she paid half the attention and apparently picked an option that changed the storyline _a lot_.

“I was, but I’m not done yet,” she responded back while trying to read the text that appeared on the screen. “Naturally.”

“So what have you been doing all this time?” of course she would ask. “Losing time on your notebook I assume?”

“Mum, stop trying to guilt-trip me,” she grumbled into the phone. She gave up the reading and just clicked _yes_. It apparently meant joining a mercenary group or something, leaving a Circle of Magi where she was until then. “I’ll send you a photo after it’s presentable, deal?”

“With your sense of tidiness it translates to _never_ ,” the older woman sighed. “You’ve made a mistake. I’m sure you know it by now. You can still come back, I’m sure your father would be happy as well.”

A little part of her probably wanted to – even though playing the game lifted her mind from the worry with a successful rate. But being reminded of it stung a little, almost making her say yes, bow down to the Trevelyan influence and come back. It would be easier, right?

“You must know very well you can’t take of yourself,” her mum continued sternly. “You don’t even know how to wash your clothes so it won’t get shrunk, or how to cook a proper meal!”

_The hell I don’t!_

“I’m not coming back, mother,” she gritted her teeth. At least she made it easier. “Tell Philliam he’s a chicken wuss. I’m going to sleep now.”

“Evelyn-!”

She ended the call abruptly and tossed the phone next to her on the blanket. This was what she needed – to be reminded _why_ she left them.

Self-centred pricks.

***

Eve wasn’t surprised when she found out Hawke was still in-game when she could finally add his nickname and write to him. The game kept her from the rest of the community until the story picked up a speed and she could find herself in a strange village where her title changed to _Herald_ , probably thanks to the pick she made while her mother called. She wasn’t entirely sure what happened, except that she was excluded from the Chantry, like a heathen, because the storyline led her into a temple where shit broke loose and she survived. It almost seemed like she had been a villain.

 

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: oh god no you just HAD TO pick the lamest sub class everrrrrr >.>**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: What do you mean, lamest? My hand glows, it’s original!**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: sure it is cuz it glows with all the LAME**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: shut up, I’m in distress. I haven’t paid attention to the storyline when my mother called, so now I’m Herald and that’s about it.**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: enjoy the complete ignorance from others baby girl. herald is like saying OH IM A NOOB THE HAND GLOWED I THINK ITS PRETTY while it means you can do shit except maybe a nice addition to party lights while the rest of your squad is getting eaten by demons yayayayay SO NOT IN A SQUAD WITH YOU**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: You’re an asshat.**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: go make a new character xD**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: NO! ALL THE GLOWY! I’M GOING TO GLOW MY WAY TO VICTORY!**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: no wonder you quitted LoL………… loser xD**

 

She snorted and ignored his threats altogether. Well, the Herald seemed weak, kind of, and slightly repressed with all the Chantry antipathy against her, but she always loved challenges – especially when they came from Hawke. It was enough she beat him in LoL, getting to Platinum before he made it. She earned _no life_ label, but she won anyway.

She was going to keep this character and win with it, no matter the obstacles.

***

She considered changing her mind another hour into the game later where she found out there was PvP implemented and being against the Chantry earned her a _prey_ title for some other classes.

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: There is forced PvP?**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: for herald yeah xD jk, there are just classes that don’t bode well with the other so yeah there is pvp. templars don’t like enchanters, seekers don’t like heralds, spies are generally taken as a threat once they use certain skills, champs don’t fancy templars and enchanters in overall**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: how do they even form squads then? There is like… squad only from Templars and Seekers or…?**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: nah squad is alright like a safe zone. also alliances work – like guilds there are treaties and mutual trust so you can’t kill your alliance mate. or maybe you can but you know – consequences and shit**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I see.**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: hunted I assume? xD**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Yeah, there is one Seeker that keeps on coming at me, like, literally camping me, I can do anything as long as he’s there.**

 

It was slightly annoying to be this cut off. A Truth_Seeker player apparently noticed her during her quests in the mountains, and to Evelyn’s dismay she couldn’t do much against him, especially when she was a mage and Seekers apparently could deal with her kind fast and easy. She still was able to delude some Templars before, but this concrete Seeker had been relentless and apparently really skilled. Probably higher level as well.

If the game hadn’t been so fun, Eve would turn it off and let her hunter lose interest overnight. But it was only midnight and she felt the well-known excitement in her that wouldn’t let her sleep anyway. So she waited, then tried to go out from the safe zone, just to be killed again, and waited some more. She noticed this certain Seeker had been aiming _only_ at her during the past half an hour – other mages were free to go. Well, maybe because they weren’t Heralds, she assumed.

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Look, I’m new to the game, can you let me pass? You’ve killed me like ten times already, don’t tell me it’s still fun for you.**

 

She sent the whisper and didn’t get any negative system message that she couldn’t send it to an opposite factions, so she assumed the Seeker got it. She watched her enemy pace a little in front of the safe line and then stop.

 

**[Whisper][Truth_Seeker]: not really fun, no.**

 

“Oh, so he can talk!” Eve grinned and re-seated a little to get more comfortable.

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: So you can let me go? It’s not like I’m hunting other Seekers or something.**

**[Whisper][Truth_Seeker]: I’m just wondering how patient you are. People normally log off when somebody is camping them.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I told you. I’m new, I like the game, I want to play.**

**[Whisper][Truth_Seeker]: then I have to inform you that you’ve picked a wrong character. As a Seeker you’re my prey.**

 

“Aren’t you all poetic,” she sighed and looked at the clock again. It was half past midnight, still not _that_ late for her to go to sleep. The easiest way would be making a new character and start again with something stronger and less hunted – but then Hawke would win and laugh at her.

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: How fun is the Seeker?**

 

She decided to start a talk if nothing else. It often made people less careful, so maybe she would be able to slip past him at some point.

The Seeker stood still again, as if he was watching her through the eyes of the toon, and the idle animation made the character cross his arms on his chest and tilt his hips. A woman then, judging from the posture – she couldn’t really tell with all the heavy armour on.

No answer came and Eve wondered if the player had been AFK, so she tried her luck – only to be killed again in a swift flurry of blows.

“Okay, just don’t want to talk then,” she got the memo and respawned again. The Seeker remained on her spot, sheathing the sword, and continued to guard the line like a watch dog.

 

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: you know why are you so hunted? rarely ANYONE plays the herald xD you’re like a unicorn!**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Must be why the Seeker called a friend here. Now there is a Seeker AND a Spy. Both waiting for me to come out.**

 

It was an archer and Evelyn was pretty sure the Seeker called her here as well, since they both stood there, waiting for her to come out. The archer even menacingly flexed her bow several times and aimed it at her behind the safe zone, like she was daring her.

 

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: just give up princess. make a normal character. or find a very good alliance that would protect you.**

 

"An alliance?” she watched her two hunters with a raised eyebrow and couldn’t overlook the fact they both had the same sign on the armour. The same alliance then.

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Do you have a Herald in your alliance?**

 

It wasn’t like she expected the Seeker to answer, but it was worth a shot, wasn’t it?

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I’m sure there are some bonus points for having one, right? Plus I’m a mage, I can heal and all.**

**[Whisper][Nightingale]: Are you asking us if we will take you into our alliance?**

 

She blinked in surprise, seeing a different name in the chat log all of sudden, before realizing the Spy next to the Seeker had that name. She didn’t hesitate with the response – she didn’t have much to lose anyway. Either they would take her or not. If not, she would just go to sleep and hopefully they wouldn’t camp there the whole night.

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Yes?**

**[Whisper][Nightingale]: And what can you offer?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Magic stuff, I suppose. Some novelty? Jokes? Obsessive need to play for days straight?**

**[Whisper][Nightingale]: A hardcore player?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Sort of.**

**[Whisper][Nightingale]: Age?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Is that relevant?**

**[Whisper][Nightingale]: Very much so. Our alliance is not big, but we are growing. You must understand having Herald in it makes the approval of the Chantry drops immeasurably, and we don’t want to risk not getting it back for a ten years old brat.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Fair enough. I’m 24.**

**[Whisper][Nightingale]: Working?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Yes.**

 

The chat didn’t change until then and Eve stared at the two unmoving forms in front of her with raised eyebrows. The alliance sounded full of adults, which seemed promising. She had the _pleasure_ of playing with kids, and it usually made her lose the temper, especially when they were spoiled brats that have plenty of time to bother you during the day and night. Some were alright, of course, but the experience with 12 years olds grew painful over time.

When the silence lasted for a bit too long, she started typing another inquiry and pressed enter, but nothing happened.

“Huh?” she tried to press any skill, but the game remained frozen solid. “Oh no.”

A DISCONNECTED message flew over the screen and everything turned black.

“Nooooo…”

She scrambled to reboot it, but one look to the right low corner told her it was no use. The wi-fi signal died.


	2. Testing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Whisper][Rosecult]: I’m being tested.  
> [Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: for rabies? You already have it  
> [Whisper][Rosecult]: Ruuuuuuude.  
> [Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: what can I say it’s my charming personality

It was the devious barking that woke her up, even though it could have been many other things instead – a steady rhythm of rain drumming against the windowsill, a music beat seemingly coming from everywhere under her, a muffled yelling that was trying to get past the windows from the street.

At first she didn’t understand the reason for any of those sounds – her family didn’t have a dog, the rain mostly came in the spring season, this kind of music was out of any tastes running in the bloodline and the only person that could be so loud outside of the house was maybe Albrecht who had a tact of a bull, and he lived in Orlais.

It took her several more minutes before she opened her eyes and stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling, slowly catching up with the reality.

This wasn’t Ostwick.

This was Denerim. Smelly, cold, rainy Denerim she had a place in, in a loud flat with non-functional heaters (would explain the goddamn cold) and probably everyone having a barking dog. One look to the side made her groan unhappily when she saw all the boxes and bags lying on the floor and for a minute she felt like in a living hell.

She reached for her phone just to see the wi-fi was still off, the time showed something past eight and she had a missed call from her father.

“Nope,” she mumbled and tossed the phone next to her. The seizing desperation was back in waves and the longer she was lying in the bed, thinking of what she had done, the less courage remained in her to man up and deal with it. Her father wouldn’t help her feeling better even if this was another universe, with his unhappy grumbling and jaded remarks about her being unable to take care of herself. So she dismissed to call him back completely, let him think she sulked.

Also, there was a spider on the ceiling.

Eve was never out of the bed this fast.

***

Denerim was mostly grey and sort of old, like a forgotten city with fancy houses that needed new façade to show they used to be really pretty long time ago. She lived relatively close to the main square as she found out while she was searching for a shop, but also surrounded by many menacingly dark alleys she refused to go through. Almost every street had at least one little shop in it, even if it was just a little café or an antique store, and people were sitting in front of it almost too peacefully for this chilly weather. She felt overdressed when she was passing them, with a sweater and a coat and still feeling rather cold, clicking in her heels and regretting she took only leggings with short skirt over it. Sometimes the eyes of people lingered a bit too long and she couldn’t help but wonder if they were too prudish or she just made a faux pas with the red-yellow-black combination. In Orlais people were always too touchy feely about clothes, so maybe Ferelden had this issue as well?

The shopping was a fast event when she found the right store, like she couldn’t get out of there quickly enough. The cashier was nice though, smiling and wishing her a good day, and even told her in one breath they had a good deal on dog food.

 _No dogs_.

She walked quickly back to her place, grateful she actually remembered the way vividly enough not to get lost with all the groceries and cleaning products, and for how strange she felt in the foreign city, different set of worries lifted her mind from the freak out of living alone.

She spent about an hour cleaning the bathroom; the intense smell of disinfection was almost too much at times, then kitchen for another hour and then swept the floors from the hundred years old dirt, or at least it looked that way. She unpacked just a fraction of her belongings and the lack of wardrobe made it rather difficult to store her clothes without putting them wherever was a free, clean spot. In the end she used the boxes from the dishes and books from home and hoped nobody was going to visit any time soon.

After sorting those minor things she didn’t have strength or the will to continue anymore and just crashed back on her bed, grabbed a laptop to watch a movie or something to occupy herself – until she realized the wi-fi had been back up and everything stopped being important – except of the game.

“God, I needed this,” she mumbled while starting up the only thing that could easily let her forget where she was, and after a moment she finally logged back in.

She was still in the safe zone where the game crashed with several other players running around – and no Seeker and Spy waiting for her to come out.

“Oh, right…” she realized she tried to deal with them somehow. “Man, that sucks.”

 

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: look whos here!**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: You’re here again or still?**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: a little of both. welcome back you evil person not even saying goodbye and logging off**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Wi-Fi crashed :(** **  
**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: filthy lies**

 

She laughed, a nice, relaxing mood overcoming her. Thank the heavens for Hawke at times, even that he could be an arse, he was still a good friend.

 

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Hello, I’m sorry to bother you, but are you the one who had been talking with Nightingale about joining the alliance yesterday?**

 

Eve blinked while reading the whisper and checked the nick. A new person then, acquainted to the Seeker and the Spy? She thought they gave up on her once the game crashed, this was unexpected.

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Yeah, that’s me.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I’m relieved to hear that, I wasn’t sure if they gave me the right nickname. Are you still interested in joining our alliance?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Definitely!**

 

No way they actually made sure to invite her! Amazing, _amazing!_

 

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Good. What class are you?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Herald. I mean mage. I mean… Mage Herald?**

 

The answer got longer to come and for a moment she thought it turned him off. Then the chat blinked again and she eagerly read the message, just to blink in surprise.

 

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: We will be watching you then.**

 

“Watching me?” she repeated the phrase with a raised eyebrow. That sounded… creepy?

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: What do you mean – watching me?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: It means you’re on a list.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Like being tested?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Sort of. I got told to convey the message, so here it is. They’ll stay in touch. Or I will. Have a good day, Rosecult.**

 

 

“I’m sorry?” she breathed out with wide eyes, watching the chat in disbelief. Was this some kind of an elite alliance or what was the fuss about? She knew there were often applications needed to be filled – many guilds in other games had that, to make it official. Some of them even made it a part of a recruiting campaign – letting people now they are searching for a certain class and demanding a filled application with previous guild names and all those stupid things, to get an experience player.

Maybe this alliance had been similar? Evelyn always called them _elitists_ and didn’t like those guilds. It wasn’t a game anymore for them, it was a business. They took everything seriously, put lots of real money into it, and raged with every little thing. Not fun anymore.

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I’m being tested.**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: for rabies? You already have it**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Ruuuuuuude.**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: what can I say it’s my charming personality**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Amen to that. And I meant there is this one alliance, but they won’t invite me, they are going to “watch me”.**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: and?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Is that like… necessary?**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: oh.. yeah? I mean youre teh herald baby girl. means bad shit for alliances, as well as when they take in the apostate or a blood mage and stuff. it drops the chantry approval and the alliance is losing points and benefits**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: oh right. That Spy talked about it I recall, because of the age issue.**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: nobody wants a toddler in their party xD toddler herald would be even worse**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Oh well. Have to learn how to defend myself in meantime, those random Templars and Seekers swarming around me are getting annoying.**

**[Whisper][Kirk_Champ]: good luck LAMErald.**

 

“Ugh.”

She recalled the Spy telling her they weren’t a big alliance yet, but they were growing and didn’t want to lose points over a raging kid – she understood that. But this seemed rather excessive. Maybe she was better on her own after all.

***

The balance of her getting killed during the gameplay diminished once she levelled up a bit – there were few nice spells that were able to deflect some of the Templars and Seekers long enough for her to disappear. She tried to chat with Hawke more, but once the clock reached three in the afternoon, Hawke disappeared and Evelyn felt a bit at lost all of sudden, with her new discoveries unable to tell about to anyone.

It was small stuff, mostly only about how the game looked, but her being a chatter box the sudden inability to reach somebody with the banter and keep it up was maddening.

Unless…

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: The animation of the clothes is flawless. Like, every movement, the clothes just sways in the wind. It’s awesome.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I… yes? It is.**

 

“No way, you replied?” she smirked. “Lion Commander, huh.”

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Guess it’s different with heavy armour. Does it have some flaily bits?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Here and there.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Awesome, even hair moves!**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: It sure does.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Have you just checked?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I… no. Yes. Maybe.**

 

 

“Priceless!” she laughed and jumped off the bed to make tea she bought.

At least the kitchen finally looked like you wouldn’t catch something while touching it.

***

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I’ve literally caught a fish.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Congratulations?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: In game!**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You can also shoot a bird or hunt a deer.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: That’s so cool!**

***

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Why a “Lion” Commander, Commander?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Lions are proud?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: You have a terrible habit of answering a question with another question.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: It’s a curse I have to live with.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: So sassy.**

***

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I’m not sure what they mean by “enchant a weapon”. I’ve already put plus stuff in it, what else does it want?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Put a rune in it.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Wait, what rune?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Don’t have one yet?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Not that I’m aware.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh. It’s from the first dungeon.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Ooooh. Can I solo it?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Halamshiral? No, please don’t try that.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: No rune then. It synchronizes levels when you are over levelled?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Yes, it does.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Where else can you get runes?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Craft it, buy it in the auction. But it’s really easier to just run the dungeon.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I bet it is. But I’m not spending half of my free day to find a party that wouldn’t have a stigma out of my title.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Ah.**

 

Eve sighed and browsed the auction with a frown. The good runes were expensive as hell, the lame ones were… well. Just lame and not so cheap as they should be. Probably making money on the quest, she assumed.

“Oh well,” she shrugged and bought the cheapest one to get the quest done. “Beggars can’t be choosers.”

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Thanks for the advice btw. Got one now :)** ** >satisfied<**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You really bought one?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: With my dirty money, yes, I did. Hope the seller won’t get cursed by me, mwuahahaha.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I see.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Well, my dear Lion Cub, thanks for the pep talk and say hi to those two who kept on killing me the other day if you catch them online.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Will do.**

 

She turned the game off and stretched. The day flew by her like untamed wind how the game sucked her in and she had a good feeling about it. Only, probably, the change of character was starting to seem wiser and wiser, since it was really difficult to find somebody who wouldn’t refuse to help. She learned about alliances that consisted from the _unwanted ones_ , like blood mages and apostates, rogue Templars and too flashy Spies, and probably Heralds, apparently living on the zero Chantry approval and just for the sake of companionship. The game was clever with these things; it taught people there were consequences of their decisions and always a place of power that controlled life of common people.

As much as Eve loved playing with a solid group of friends, getting rid of the Herald now seemed rather selfish, although it was probably what everyone who ended up there had done anyway. She liked the class – although she mostly used the mage skills anyway. Herald wasn’t very proper and probably got too unique. Mostly the MMOs made such strange characters too overpowered, but the Herald was rather weak and maybe slightly pathetic – although nice to look at. The mark on her hand was seemingly for a show, but a pretty one.

“Getting obsessed with a game again, there goes my life,” she stared pointedly at the game icon and rather checked her e-mails. There were some from the new job and she decided to finally deal with them than fishing for it tomorrow without any spare time.

***

“Trevelyan…” she yawned, by some miracle actually picking up the call without looking, and rubbed her eyes.

“How long do you think you’re going to avoid my calls?!” her father’s voice immediately woke her up like she got jabbed by a needle and she sat up and almost dropped her phone.

“Dad…?” she cringed at the angry voice. Goddamn for her not looking at the caller ID before picking up!

“Philliam said the house is a disaster!”

“Philliam doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” she responded with a groan, having an urge to strangle Philliam the moment he would be within reach.

“Your mother says it too!” she heard another voice under the anger baritone of her dad, and she was pretty sure it belonged to her mother.

“My mother says what Philliam told her, she hasn’t seen it!” she opposed now fully awake. “The house is just old looking from the outside, my flat is renovated and it’s fine!”

_Just so damn cold._

“You’re coming back immediately,” came a gruff response and really, now her father wanted to play a responsible parent? “Just throwing tantrum like a petulant child, I haven’t raised you this way-.”

“For the last time, _father_ , I’m an adult and I don’t need to listen to you,” she uttered, hearing her mother gasp somewhere in a distance. Oh, so they had her on a speaker, great. Hopefully there was the whole family ready to shout at her too. “This exact thing is why I wanted to move, so keep the anger issues and let me sleep.”

“Evelyn-!”

She cut the line and turned her phone off.

The rain was dancing over the windowsills, the dog was barking like crazy and somebody had been shouting under her window.

Adult life sucked.

***

**[Whisper][Nightingale]: Hello again.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Oh, it’s you.**

 

Eve hummed at the known name and hated how her mood remained at zero degrees, even when she started playing. Her father’s voice had been echoing in her head like a broken record, and even though he didn’t say much, it made her feel like shit anyway.

 

**[Whisper][Nightingale]: Care for a run through Halamshiral with us?**

 

“The first dungeon?” she frowned at the text. “Why?”

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Why?**

**[Whisper][Nightingale]: For the rune, maybe? And to know the drill.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I already have the rune.**

**[Whisper][Nightingale]: Then only for the drill. You never ran a dungeon here before, have you?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: No, I haven’t.**

**[Whisper][Nightingale]: Great, so let me send you an invitation, how about it?**

 

Eve took a deep breath. She didn’t really want to do much of socializing. She thought she would just look around the new city she arrived to and go back to sleep, to get rid of the bitter taste in her mouth. She didn’t think there was going to be an offer like this.

She hesitated for a moment, her hands hovering about the keyboard, until she gave up and nodded to herself.

 

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Alright.**

 

Her screen lit up with a squad invitation and she confirmed it with a slight frown. The left side got filled with four icons and names and Eve realized it was all those characters she spoke to already. Truth_Seeker was there as a tank, Nightingale’s and Lion_Commander’s icons were in DPS spots and she got apparently marked as a healer.

 

**[Squad][Nightingale]: There you go. Hello again and can you please get to the Halamshiral?**

 

**[Squad][Rosecult]: Hi and okay.**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: try not to get yourself killed on the way here. And hello.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: Good morning.**

 

She grumpily let her character get to the destination they demanded and her mood was only getting worse.

_I shouldn’t have agreed to it._

She never actually healed, except of herself. This was going to be disaster.

 

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: do you want to tank or should I?**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: You’re already in a tanking spot, keep it.**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: Meaning he thinks you’re a better tank anyway and have a lovely bosom to watch ;)**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: Ugh.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: That’s exactly what I didn’t mean.**

 

The Halamshiral was a huge castle and from the introduction she got in a cut-scene it looked terribly pompous, and apparently overrun by assassins threatening to kill the Empress. She barely remembered the story for it, since she couldn’t complete it without this run and just did quests around it.

Once the cut scene ended, she found herself inside of the palace with all the three companions waiting for her there. It was the first time she saw Lion_Commander’s toon and she finally understood why the Seeker asked him for the tanking.

 

**[Squad][Rosecult]: Oh. You’re a Templar.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: Yes.**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: He’s still fighting against your joining in a Templar way. This run will give him the answer he seeks.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: I was just saying a mage out of the Circle is bad enough, but Herald is going to tear all our Chantry approval down, and it’s pointless.**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: in other words you don’t want Rosecult to join.**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: Good thing it’s not only your decision.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: That’s not what I said!**

 

Eve had an urge to turn off the game immediately. Of course he didn’t want her to join – nobody wanted her to join. But it was unfair and didn’t make sense why the game would made a character everybody hates so much, and as much as she was getting it was a bad choice, she refused to change it just to be more likable. Definitely not for posh elitists like this Lion Idiot.

 

**[Squad][Rosecult]: It’s fine. I don’t really want to join either anyway.**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: Too bad, because we want you to.**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: not to mention it was you who asked us for it.**

**[Squad][Rosecult]: Yeah, I’ve changed my mind. And it’s nothing against you guys, but I’d feel bad in there anyway.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: Look, I’m not against you joining, really. Getting back the approval is easy anyway; it just takes a bit more than we thought.**

 

She wanted to tell him to stuff it into his tight, stick pierced ass to make himself feel better, but decided not to and only quitted the squad and turned off the game.

Game life sucked as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Finally, Cullen :D   
> The bad mood swings when something in real life is shitty are a terrible thing, especially when it affects the behaviour towards other people. I know that very well and it's always better *not to* deal with anyone. In game or in life. 
> 
> Anyway, hope it's not too lame. Sorry for Cullen to be so templar-y :D


	3. Haircut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s normal,” he extended his hand against her to stop her. “I’m just busy, people lose weight when they are busy and can’t do any work out.”  
> “Stressed you mean?” she titled her head to the side and finally stopped in her approach. “Because that’s how you look like. Stressed hobo.”  
> “Why have I called you again?”  
> “Your hair needs cutting, you could join a boy band with this,” she reminded him sternly and he already knew she switched into a mother hen mode, fussing about him needlessly.

**[Squad][Nightingale]: Offline. Good job.**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: for God’s sake, Cullen… I thought we have talked about this.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: It wasn’t me who pointed out this was a test run!**

Cullen ran his hand through his hair and groaned. This morning just couldn’t get any worse, could it. He barely slept, bad dreams were keeping him awake like a plague, and when he finally dozed off at 5 AM, at 6 the landlord banged on his door to ask him about another neighbour’s _shoes_.

If his nerves were any worse, he would probably explode like a bomb, sending them all to hell. During this whole week he slept maybe 10 hours in total and he could feel his body was starting to give up at harder physical workouts.

The game usually helped him to take his mind off all the stress and duties for a while, until today, where it was all shitty even there. It wasn’t like he was _so_ against the Herald joining – they would be able to keep up, he was sure – but they were still so damn small and vulnerable that every point they got for their sake counted. And with Herald present the Chantry’s approval would drop for more than half – and that was like throwing all the hard work out of the window, just for somebody they didn’t know _how_ they played, if they were any good, if they were going to stay. What if they took the Herald in, lost the approval and then the person decided they didn’t like it in their alliance and left? The points wouldn’t miraculously return. They had been there already once.

But they dealt with it yesterday, he told them his arguments, they told him theirs, and this run was going to either seal his mouth, or seal theirs. Cassandra was more neutral than fierce about it, but Leliana was pushing it like it was a matter of life and death and she didn’t even know the person.

Or at least he thought so. She was so secretive it could easily be her lover and he wouldn’t be aware.

He knew it was unfair of him that he turned Herald off yesterday, even though he got told to invite her to the alliance already. But when the player introduced himself as a mage _and_ the Herald, it was like a warning light in his head. The Herald would cost them about 1/4 of approval if he was a warrior or something. But a mage Herald… that was like a punch and the penalty was deadly, especially for a new alliance.

Of course Leliana demanded an explanation why he didn’t took Rosecult in and Cassandra seemed to be on her side. Cullen thought at first they’d keep their alliance spotless – no apostates, no blood mages, no rogue Templars and no Heralds. They already had mages in there, but they were still with the Circle.

_“We don’t have a Herald here yet.”_

_“We don’t need a Herald at all,” he opposed Leliana’s argument. “Why are you pushing it?”_

_“Because he asked to join, and he’s new,” the redhead shrugged and Cullen though it was bizarre to talk about it at work like it was a part of the business plan._

_“You know what kind of penalty it’s going to cost us? A mage Herald, that’s the worst combination,” he reminded her stubbornly and Leliana smirked with that fox smile of hers. He knew there was something planned already, judging from her mischievous eyes._

_He wasn’t wrong._

**[Squad][Nightingale]: That’s not an excuse. You could have said you just need a demonstration, not that his presence is pointless.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: It IS pointless! Except of getting the Chantry hate us there is no point having a weak class that doesn’t have a single purpose.**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: as far as I know he’s a mage and can heal. I wouldn’t call it pointless.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: he SHOULD be able to heal, you don’t know if he can.**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: And we are not going to find out, because you drove him off.**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: Look, I know you’re a control freak, but I think the game made it purposely like that. And truth to be told I think this one is like… the only Herald I’ve seen to get this far without giving up. I think it’s worth something – if not our help, then at least respect.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: It’s just a game, Leliana. Not a matter of life and death.**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: A pragmatic voice spoke. If it’s just a game, then why do you fight against it so much?**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: Fine. You win. Do whatever you please.**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: it’s too late anyway. He probably gave up like the rest of Heralds.**

“A wise decision,” he mumbled. There was nothing he had against the person, yesterday talks were surprisingly alright once he got used to the fact he kept on messaging him with unimportant things. Since he probably had a hard time to get anybody to help, Cullen felt a bit guilty for brushing him off so sternly.

**[Squad][Nightingale]: I’m going off as well. Need some new shoes~**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: you have thousands of shoes already, why do you need another pair?**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: Why do you need another book to read while you have thousands of them at home?**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: …point taken.**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: Later ;)**

Nightingale logged off.

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: are you alright?**

Cullen let out a sigh. As much as Cassandra wasn’t big on dealing with people the nice, talkative way, she was sharp as a knife in her perception.

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: Yes. Sorry for putting that new recruit off.**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: I understand why you were against it. I was too at the beginning, but I think Leliana is right. We all started somehow and didn’t know what to do.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: I know.**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: I’ll be here for an hour, then need to go off. You need help with anything?**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: I’m good, thank you, Cass. Will see you at work tomorrow.**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: don’t forget the tie this time.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: I… will try not to.**

**[Squad][Truth_Seeker]: you will not try. You’ll have your tie.**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: Yes, m’am.**

He chuckled at her ordering tone and rather went to get the tie prepared already, so he wouldn’t forget in the morning. He was pretty sure Cassandra would skin him alive if he did that again.

*******

“Since when it’s mandatory for me to come to you when _you_ want something?”

“Because you know I’d never get it done otherwise,” Cullen offered a sheepish smile and his sister rolled her eyes. He was trying to get his place cleaned up before she arrived, but managed only to wash dishes and put some of clothes away from the chair, so he wasn’t surprised the first thing she commented on was the state of his flat.

The second thing was his hair, but that was, after all, why she arrived.

“Are you even eating properly?” she eyed him suspiciously when he was moving around the living room in his sweatpants and a shirt, barefooted and probably with terribly messy hair. If anyone outside of his place saw him in this state, he was pretty sure he would scare them off. Not to mention his three days stubble…

 _A hobo,_ Mia said. He didn’t blame her.

“Of course I am,” he shrugged. Well, he hadn’t eaten yet, but it was only 11 AM, it was fine. He was never big on breakfast anyway.

“You’re thinner than the last time I saw you,” she opposed with a worried tone. “I’m pretty sure your ribs are showing too.”

“They are not.”

“Let me see,” she demanded and Cullen took a step back when she stood up with a determined expression. “You have lost too much weight, seriously, look at you. So damn thin!”

“It’s _normal_ ,” he extended his hand against her to stop her. “I’m just busy, people lose weight when they are busy and can’t do any work out.”

“Stressed you mean?” she titled her head to the side and finally stopped in her approach. “Because that’s how you look like. Stressed hobo.”

“Why have I called you again?”

“Your hair needs cutting, you could join a boy band with this,” she reminded him sternly and he already knew she switched into a mother hen mode, fussing about him needlessly.

_Maybe I should have just visited a barber._

“You know, maybe you should just change jobs,” she offered with less fight in her voice and moved back to the kitchen where she took the scissors. “Get something with more free time or… less stress. How about an office work? For a year or two.”

“I’d bore myself to death,” he shook his head and sit down on the chair she pointed at. “I need something to do, this one is fine. We have a great team there.”

“I know,” she mumbled but he could tell she didn’t think highly of it. “But since that fire you’re still so… distant. The longer you stay there, the longer it will take you to get out of it.”

“Oh please,” he waved his hand and turned his back to her, letting her know he was ready for the haircut. “I’m not a child, Mia. I can take care of myself.”

“Well, judging from the look of you I highly doubt that,” she uttered and pulled his hair as a reprimand. “You’re becoming a hermit.”

“Just cut the hair.”

“Where is the magic word?” he was sure she grinned like Cheshire cat, even though he couldn’t see her, and let out a long sigh.

“Please, my dear, beautiful sister without any personal flaws,” he recited to her and she giggled. Her touches became lighter and she even petted his head.

“Good boy,” she snickered and finally started working. Cullen sometimes wondered if he wasn’t adopted.

***

“You’re still playing that game?” he heard his sister calling at him and he stopped washing his hair for a moment. Did he leave it on? Since Cassandra logged off, he stopped paying attention to it and dealt with his flat more, but he wasn’t sure if he actually just walked away or turned it off.

“I still do,” he called back at her and rinsed the shampoo off. He heard footsteps approaching and braced for an impact that, naturally, came just several seconds later when she nudged him with her foot. If he didn’t know her, he would probably fall over to the bathtub.

“Mia,” he growled warningly and she laughed, leaving him to finish the task without another physical disturbance. She stayed though, ready to nag him.

“You could go out instead of playing, you know,” she started as expected. “Meet people. When was the last time you had a girlfriend? Five years ago? Or more. You really are a hermit.”

“I’m content by myself,” he turned the water off and straightened back, giving her an evil eye over his shoulder. She handed him a towel with an angelic smile and ignored the unspoken warning not to speak of it again.

“I thought games are for kids,” she continued with a sole intent – to provoke him. Her tactics never changed. “Branson’s kid is playing it.”

“I’m not sure he’s playing anything, he’s two,” he rolled his eyes and started drying his hair with a bit too much force. They were through this topic probably a hundred times already, and yet Mia always opened it when she got a chance.

“I’m just saying it would do you better to maybe cut it out a little,” her mother tone showed up again. “And spend the weekend out. If you want, I can introduce you to some single girls…”

“Please _don’t_ ,” he immediately stopped her and probably glared a bit too much, since she actually shut up and just quietly nodded and left the bathroom.

_Still better than her hooking me up again…_

The last time Mia took the matter to her hands was terrible. He spent the weekend at her house, with her husband and his family, while she invited about five of her friends over. Ladies. _Single and ready to mingle_ , as his sister Rosalie told him mischievously while chewing on a cake. That image of her telling him while the five women he never saw before ogled him from another room was probably permanently burned into his brain, because at that point he realized he had been set up by the worst way possible without any means to run away. It was probably one of the worst weekends he ever spent with his family (except the one where Branson caught on fire from grilling and his wife tried to extinguish it with vodka). Another event like that would probably scar him for life.

“You need anything else?” Mia surprised him when he left the bathroom to see her already dressed up and picking up her handbag. “Or was it just the haircut?”

“Just the haircut,” he replied with a raised eyebrow. “Are you leaving already?”

“Yeah, hubby called,” she showed him her phone, even though there was nothing else than a picture of her and her husband on the screen. She loved that photo; he knew that, since she had it there for about two years already. As far as he remembered they took it in Val Royeaux on their honeymoon and sent it to basically everyone they could. He probably still had it saved somewhere in his phone.

“Alright,” she smiled at him, but it was a bit tight. He was pretty sure it was because of him, and it made him guilty. Her constant mother hen tendencies were often overboard, but she cared and he appreciated it. He just couldn’t cope that well with somebody being this overprotective.

“Take care, little brother,” she ruffled his still wet hair and pulled him in for a hug. “Eat properly, please. I can _feel_ your ribs.”

“Dirty cheater,” he chuckled when he felt her hands seizing his waist with an unhappy grumble. “Should have known the hug wasn’t out of affection.”

“Of course, I just wanted to feel your manly ribs,” she pushed him a little and her face softened. “Until next haircut I guess.”

“Hopefully sooner,” he nodded and followed her out of his flat. Her husband was already waiting for her in their car and waved at Cullen with a firm nod. He waved back, offering a sheepish smile, and stayed put until they disappeared from his sight behind the turn.

Was he seriously falling this much apart from being sociable?

***

When he sat back to his PC, the game was still on and there were several messages from people in the alliance and other players he had in his contacts. He answered to those who were still online and hovered over the log off button, before he realized Rosecult was online again.

“Ah…” he breathed out, cringing a little. He was rash this morning, he didn’t want him to feel bad for Cullen saying all those things about being pointless and a nuisance. There was a certain appeal in that player that he decided to stick to Herald against all odds, and Leliana was probably right about the fact that having one in the alliance would get them some novelty. Among other worse things.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Hello. Can I talk to you for a minute?**

He wasn’t sure what he wanted to say, but it was worth a shot. No reply came though and he hummed in understanding. Well, fair enough, it was Rosecult’s decision to leave the squad and break off the deal. And yet…

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I’m sorry for this morning. I’ve just wanted to see you in action and then decide, you must understand having a Herald in an alliance is not exactly the brightest decision.**

Nothing.

“He may be AFK…” he mumbled, brushing over the keyboards. It was probably useless to dump tons of text on him if he didn’t want to answer though, or just couldn’t read it yet.

He waited for a minute and then gave up, until his chat suddenly blinked with a new message.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Spare me, I’ve heard this about thousands times and I honestly don’t care. I’m going to play it anyway and I don’t need your pompous ass to throw it at me at every possible occasion.**

“Oh.”

He wasn’t sure if he should have been offended or ashamed.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Okay. I guess. I’ve just wanted to apologize. Also, if you still want to run Halamshiral with us, you’re very much welcome.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: No, thanks. Say hi to Night and Seeker for me.**

Cullen breathed out and nodded to himself. It was probably expected. It would be weird if he suddenly agreed to it and talked to Cullen normally, wouldn’t it. Although he could imagine the stern look Cassandra was going to give him for it anyway. Leliana was probably going to put salt in his coffee in the morning too.

He trailed off to the kitchen to make something to eat and wondered why exactly would anyone be so stubborn to keep playing for a character with such difficult gameplay? Was it some kind of pride thing? A challenge?

True, he never tried the Herald. When it came to the sub class choice, he immediately reached for the Templar, because from all the indication it was a class that helped and protected people. He always liked heavy armoured classes, and usually ended up as a tank in other MMOs, so this one won him over, even over the Seeker. Although he had to admit Cassandra was rocking it like a pro. But then again she was always self-driven and resilient.

When he padded back, Rosecult was still online.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Why “Rosecult”?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Why do you care?**

Well, it was a success he actually replied. He thought he already tossed him to the black list.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: It sounds unusual, was just curious.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Also, you have a bad habit to answer a question with a question.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Very funny.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I try.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Shadow era. It’s a card game.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh, interesting.**

He didn’t reply after that, but it was at least something.

***

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: How old are you?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I already said that to Night.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: But not to me.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Why would it be relevant to you?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Curious.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Well, too bad.**

*******

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Is this your first MMO?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: No.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: End-game or alt levelling player?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Both.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Am I bothering you?**

No response. Cullen thought it meant yes, since Rosecult had been in a rather one-word mood, like he was telling him to piss off already. But then the chat blinked once more and Cullen smiled at the answer.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: No.**

*******

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You were right about the hair. I’ve just seen an elf girl with very long ponytail and it looked surprisingly natural.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: There are long ponytail elves??**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: It… might have been a guy.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Long ponytail guys!?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Very majestic.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I can imagine.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: There is no long hair option for the human females, that’s unfair.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I believe not even for human males. I could have rocked it.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: :D**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Would it matter? You’d hide it under that ugly helmet of yours.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I have a nice helmet!**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: A bucket.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: It’s a lion :P**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: No, it was a bucket. I’ve seen it.**

                Cullen laughed and just for a good measure zoomed at his toon. It was a lion, no matter at what angle he was looking at it. When he was trying to recall Rosecult’s character, there was nothing. He barely paid him attention when he appeared in Halamshiral how he got worked up over that unfortunate matter.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You must have mistaken me for Truth_Seeker. She has a bucket on her head.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: You heavy armoured machos all looks like tin cans to me.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Flaterrer.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: :D**

He chuckled and reached for the cup with coffee, sipping it quietly. He always liked talking in game like that, when he found somebody with similar sense of humour. Rosecult seemed to let go of the bad mood, or at least partially, and opened up, which made Cullen less guilty if nothing else. He wasn’t sure what reaction he would get if he offered Halamshiral again, but he still planned to try it.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Hey. I’m sorry too, alright? For today.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Thought I’d tell you.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I had a terrible morning call and didn’t even want to play, and that whole business with me being Herald… well.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: It’s my own fault for playing such blasted character. Not going to give up, but… you should know that I don’t hold a grudge or anything.**

Cullen blinked in surprise, reread the text two times and blinked again. Why was he apologizing?

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You don’t need to be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Well, I rage quitted.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: To be completely honest with you, I’d probably too in that case.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Alright. Just… sorry. Okay?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: No problem at all.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: So.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: ?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Halamshiral?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Lol. Fine :D**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Cullen's PoV, because he's a puppy :D He, Cassandra and Leliana all consider Eve a guy, because, as an unwritten rule in MMO goes, everyone is a man unless proven otherwise. That's just for the pronoun confusion when Cullen think of her.


	4. New Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Nobody told me the grandmother’s rags I use for clothing are bad yet.  
> [Whisper][Rosecult]: :D :D :D I’m sure they are quite lovely.  
> [Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Quite. Yellow plaid.  
> [Whisper][Rosecult]: ahahaha :D:D:D

“Miss Trevelyan?”

“That’s me,” Eve quickly stood up and smoothed down her skirt. A black haired woman was standing in between the door, a pen and a clipboard in her hands, and reminded Evelyn of a Rivain friend she used to talk a lot on holiday in Antiva. Well, except that she was missing all the earrings and piercings. This lady was more elegant than rebellious, although Isabella was always a sight to behold, wild and untamed.

“I’m glad you arrived,” the lady smiled at her, her voice thick with Antivan accent, and put the clipboard under her arm so she could offer Evelyn her hand. “I’m Josephine Montilyet, personal assistant of Vivien Monsimard. I welcome you in our company. Please follow me.”

 _A nice person,_ Evelyn thought. Bright in all those blue and gold colours, maybe even rarely so in the grey Denerim.

She followed her through a long hallway, passing several offices with busy looking people, until they stopped at one with only a single woman in there. Josephine knocked politely before entering and nodded towards the short-haired female in greetings. A heavy perfume immediately hit Eve square in the face and she held herself from cringing.

“Florianne, this is Miss Trevelyan, your new colleague,” she gestured towards Evelyn with a smile. “Miss Trevelyan, this is Florianne de Chalons. I’m sure she’ll teach you everything there is needed to know. I hope your work will lead to our mutual satisfaction.”

“Thank you,” Eve piped and Josephine left her in the room with her new colleague, her heels clicking away rhythmically.

“Good morning,” she tried the most polite approach she could, extending her hand towards the fair haired woman. “Evelyn Trevelyan.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Florianne squeezed her hand shortly, her fingers cold as a death. There was a palpable Orlesian accent and Evelyn started to wonder if anybody working here had actually been Fereldan. As far as she knew, Orlesians _hated_ Ferelden as a whole, and she still thought this company had been just a fragment of a bigger unit whose real headquarters lied somewhere in Val Royeaux.

“Please, call me Florianne,” she immediately offered her name and it made Eve breathe a little lighter. At first she seemed rather distant, her appearance sort of closed off – with very short, almost white hair and thin, stiff lips. She was elegantly dressed though and her neck was graced with complicated jewellery.

“Call me Eve, if you want,” she reciprocated and sat down at the free spot at another table in the room. It wasn’t that big office for two people, but Eve didn’t feel like they couldn’t get along. Both of their tables were facing an opposite walls, so they were going to sit with each’s others back to the other, and thankfully not getting in the way.

Florianne’s table had been full of photos and trinkets, almost too shiny to watch, but otherwise she had it cleaned up nicely.

“Eve it is then,” Florianne smiled at her and then gestured towards a pile of papers she had on her table. “I’ve prepared some light work to start with, to teach you the basics. Shall we?”

“Of course!”

***

The work wasn’t difficult, but repetitive. She got a short explanation what to do with it and then was left alone to finish the whole pile. Florianne had been working on her own things, and occasionally disappeared somewhere, just to return half an hour later with a pleased smile on her lips.

Sometimes she asked if Eve was doing alright, if she needed anything, but normally she just remained quiet, or hummed something under hear breath, or had a phone call.

_Typical office worker, I guess._

Eve was really happy when the time reached the right amount and she could go home. Her head was slightly hurting from the heavy scent that lingered in their office, while Florianne at her every departing renewed it with two, three doses from the small phial she kept in a drawer. Evelyne opened the window right the moment Florianne left, just to get another dose when the woman returned, made a retching noise and closed it.

_“I hate the smell of this country,” she said as an explanation and sprayed the room even more._

Evelyn probably understood, a little, that for an Orlesian it was rather unpleasant, but replacing it with another smell wasn’t really a win.

It made her a lot calmer when she could crash in her flat (one of the heaters started partially working when she attempted to get some air out of it) turn on her laptop and log in the game.

She couldn’t help but smile at the Haven alliance logo next to her name once her toon loaded. There was a fancy sign and a long cloak from the right side of her shoulder, and she felt like she belonged to something bigger, a game or not. It was still a bit strange, but the longer she played yesterday and talked with Commander, the less jaded she became against the idea of joining their alliance, even after the first fiasco.

It was probably his doing, she admitted. Since he was sorry and then apparently even satisfied with the Halamshiral run they did, and her healing (clumsy, but they survived). When she was about to log off, he offered the invitation again, saying it was only on her, but he would like to welcome here in their alliance and then work hard on gaining the Chantry trust to prove other people wrong. He mentioned something about salt in a coffee, but she didn’t really understand that reference, so she accepted in the end.

She checked the online status and there were only few people present. Commander, Night and Seeker hadn’t been online yet and she had to admit it felt a bit lonely, not being able to talk to any of them. Not even Hawke had been on, and the rest of the alliance seemed rather quiet.

**[Say][Wildcard]: do ya glow?!**

Eve almost overlooked the chat, but then she noticed it was said next to her by a Spy that kept on jumping around.

**[Say][Rosecult]: Me?**

**[Say][Wildcard]: Yeah!**

The jumping stopped and the Spy stood right in front of her. It was one of the big races, Qunari if she remembered correctly, and she was towering above Evelyn’s toon like a menacing shadow.

**[Say][Rosecult]: Uh… if you mean the hand…?**

**[Say][Wildcard]: youre the herald thingy!**

**[Say][Rosecult]: Yes, the herald thingy :D**

**[Say][Wildcard]: never seen one before thats sick**

**[Say][Wildcard]: ppl always give up on the glowy**

**[Say][Rosecult]: Ikr**

**[Say][Wildcard]: hows it?**

**[Say][Rosecult]: Managable.**

**[Say][Wildcard]: like shite or like kickass?**

**[Say][Rosecult]: Like kickass if you know how to play it.**

**[Say][Wildcard]: awesome!**

**[Say][Wildcard]: wanna do somethin together? quests or shite, doesnt matter**

Eve blinked in surprise. That was probably the first time somebody actually offered it first, without any other coaxing from her side, and even appeared happy to talk to her. She usually met people being kind of nasty about her sticking to the Herald, or just dismissive completely.

**[Say][Rosecult]: Sure :)**

**[Say][Wildcard]: lets goooo**

*******

Lion_Commander logged in.

“Oh, helloooo,” she smirked, noticing the pop up icon with his nickname. It was late, almost 8 PM, and she thought he wouldn’t appear today at all. Not even Night seemed to show up, although Truth_Seeker stopped by around 5 PM for a while. She seemed to know about her joining already and simply congratulated her and did the official welcoming. It was really nice of her, even though a little awkward.

What Eve gathered since she joined was the fact that Lion_Commander was actually ranked _Commander_ in the alliance tab. She considered him a _guild leader_ , as other games would put it, since both Nightingale and Truth_Seeker had been ranked _Advisors._ It definitely made sense why he was able to put her joining off for so long – if a guild leader – or an alliance leader in this case – wouldn’t agree, it shouldn’t have been pushed.

Not that she wasn’t grateful he changed his mind.

Talking with _Commander_ proved fun – he seemed smart and sometimes even sassy and there was an evident need to help people – not just her, but all his alliance mates, or just random people that showed up. She grew accustomed to his occasional slips where he suddenly got heated about a certain topic in the game – a skill Templars had or a concrete run through a dungeon, like he always analysed tactics more thoroughly – and also that was probably a reason why so many alliance people came to him for help when they couldn’t understand mechanics of a skill. Especially Templars players seemed to be fond of him.

**[Alliance][Lion_Commander]: Good Evening.**

“Always so polite,” she chuckled, replying with greetings too. He immediately got swarmed with asks, so she put talking to him for later, hopefully calmer time. Not to mention she was busy anyway with _Wildcard._

**[Squad][Wildcard]: have ya noticed that npc dude had a boner??**

**[Squad][Rosecult]: Excuse me? D:**

**[Squad][Wildcard]: totally had imma telling you come take a look!**

**[Squad][Rosecult]: OMG**

Wildcard was basically everything you could imagine under such nickname. It was a gal, at least that was what she told Eve (yes, specifically _a gal)_ , and a pretty nuts on top of that. Nothing was sacred for that person – nothing and no one. They even met two Templars trying to attack Eve, since, of course, Herald, but got a perfectly aimed shot from her companion and didn’t stand a chance. A skilled player, Eve could tell, and also strangely loyal for somebody she just met. She had camped those two Templars for half an hour and every time they tried to get past her, she showered them with smart ass remarks and arrows.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: How does the alliance treating you so far? :)**

**[ Squad][Wildcard]: have ya seen it???**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I’m not looking at his boner!!**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: oh, um, okay? Good thinking I guess >///<**

Eve almost choked when she realized she had already pressed the key for an answering whisper and sent the boner answer to Commander. A deep shade of red absolutely engulfed her and she gasped for air – not really sure if in shame or in amusement.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: oh my god, sorry no no nonononoooooooooooooo that wasn’t meant for you I swear, oh god, forgive me, adlfjdlfjdlf**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I kind of hoped it wasn’t, haha. Not that talking about… not that it’s bad. I guess.**

**[ Squad][Wildcard]: glowy have ya looked already?? It’s HUGE!!**

“Oh my god,” she burst in laughter over the situation. What was he going to think of her, writing about boners? “He’s probably regretting taking me in already.”

**[ Squad][Rosecult]: oh god, thank you, really, I’ve sent a boner answer to my alliance commander >.<**

**[ Squad][Wildcard]: pffffffffffffff, bahahahahaha pricelessssssssss!**

**[ Squad][Wildcard]: but have you looked? you gotta look! then send him screen or somethin XDDD**

**[ Squad][Rosecult]: oh god no, you know how much trouble I went through before I got to that alliance? **

**[ Squad][Wildcard]: psh, pisspot. you dont need a frigging alliance to function**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: not really a topic I talk often about, I swear :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Who am I to judge :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Just wanted to know if everything went smoothly. No one caused trouble?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: no one caused trouble :) Thank you for asking though :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Anytime.**

**[ Squad][Rosecult]: maybe not as a Spy, but as a Herald I kinda need somebody watching my back :D**

**[ Squad][Wildcard]: I am watching your pretty back :P**

**[ Squad][Rosecult]: mmmhmmm :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: How was your day?**

Eve almost missed the whisper in the storm of Wildcard’s remarks. Was he in a talkative mood? He started to be more open since yesterday, but she thought it was because he felt guilty, probably, or maybe just tried to coax her to join. A sudden interest in _her day_ seemed like he really wanted to talk, although this was always a super lame conversation starter.

She smiled anyway. It was kind of nice of him.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: well… smelly. Haha**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Smelly? I hope it’s not connected to the “boner” conversation.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: lololol, no, it really is not. Just a new job.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: A smelly new job?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: my new colleague is Orlesian. She loves perfumes >.>**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: My condolences.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: haha. Yeah, it was a bit overboard :D I’m hoping it will run out soon with her consumption :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Let me guess, using it even when she goes to the bathroom?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: :o How do you know? :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Easy guess with Orlesians. It’s in their genes I think.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I take it you’re not an Orlesian then :P**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Not that I’m aware of, haha. I was once in Montfort and it was quite enough. Never visited Val Royeaux, I think it would leave permanent consequences.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: mmm, like reasonable fashion sense? ;)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Hah. Very funny.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Is it :P**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Nobody told me the grandmother’s rags I use for clothing are bad yet.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: :D :D :D I’m sure they are quite lovely.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Quite. Yellow plaid.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: ahahaha :D:D:D**

**[ Squad][Wildcard]: glowy imma going off for today. you stay safe, yeah? **

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Don’t laugh, it’s matching my eyes.**

**[ Squad][Rosecult]: aww, okay :) Tomorrow then?**

**[ Squad][Wildcard]: will try but have a long shift tomorrow bb!**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: ttyl :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh, leaving?**

She groaned. Again? She was never having such troubles with managing several chats at once, sheesh.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: oh crap, no. That was for a squadmate. These chats are going to kill me x.x**

**[ Squad][Rosecult]: ttyl, Wild :)**

Wildcard logged off.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: If you’re busy, we can talk some other time :)**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: no no, it’s fine, she just logged off. Sorry >.< I’m usually not this bad chat.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You’re not a bad chat at all. You sent the most amusing info anyway :P**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Pfff. Trust me, I’d never send anything about boners if she haven’t started it :P**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: How disappointing. That’s all I talk about.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: hahaha, I can tell, you’re an absolute trash talker!**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: It was my first choice of a nickname, but somebody already got it :P**

She laughed heartily and reached for a sliced apple she brought about half an hour ago and forgot about it. He was really, really amusing, this guy. His sense of humour was pleasant and easily responded to, and it was what she needed, after the storm of wilderness Wildcard pulled her through.

It was a bit like talking to an old friend – like Hawke without the sarcasm and cheekiness. Crazy it was just several days they knew each other.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: So apart of being smelly. How did the new job go?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: so curious :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to be nosy or anything. It’s not mandatory to tell me, haha. Was just… eh**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: curious?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: …yes. Sorry.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Idm at all. It was… hm. Quite boring actually. Repetitive paperwork. I may go mad before the week is over :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: And we don’t want that.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I hope not D:**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Haha.**

**[Alliance][Harding]: Commander?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Well, it’s a new job, maybe it will surprise you :)**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: maybe. Also, somebody is calling you :P**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Hm? Oh, I haven’t noticed, thank you.**

**[Alliance][Lion_Commander]: Harding?**

Eve chewed on an apple while reading their conversation about some high level dungeon and wondered how exactly she could get rid of the perfuming habit of her new colleague without sounding like a bossy bitch. She kind of regretted not having Wildcard’s character for it…

She glanced at the clock and groaned internally. It was already half past ten and she had to get up at six to get to work in time.

“Damn, that sucks. Where did the time go?” she sighed.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: going to sleep for today. Thank you for the chat :)**

She didn’t really expect him to respond while being busy with the Spy, but waited for a bit anyway. Chat blinked almost immediately.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: No problem. Sleep well.**

She went to sleep with a smile on her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Sorry for the absolute mess in chats, but that's basically how it goes in MMOs anyway xD I usually respond to wrong ppl or overlook messages. It's better in an actual game cuz they have different colours, at least mostly, but still :D I've underlined squad chats in mids of whispers at least :)
> 
> Hope it's not too confusing or anything :)


	5. A Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Tethras is here,” she uttered dryly and Cullen immediately understood.   
> “You think he is going to bother you?”  
> “I’m quite certain,” she hissed, the unhappiness dripping from her voice. “I’d be very surprised if he would be satisfied only with Leliana’s presence. The fact I haven’t been on the meeting – and you too when we are at it – is going to grant me an earful.”  
> “You sure you don’t want me to back you up?” he offered, trying to bite back a smile. Cassandra’s past with Varric Tethras was always something to learn of, although she hated to talk about it. Varric, on the other hand, loved to colour it even more and add dragons and swords in it, with his storytelling talent, just to amuse his listeners.

“I think Rosecult is a girl.”

 It took Cullen several seconds before he was able to connect dots while staring into the roster for about ten minutes straight, trying to put shifts into the best order possible.

“Excuse me?” he raised his head, immediately catching Leliana’s lithe form leaning against the door frame. She looked eerily perfect – spotlessly fitting white dress shirt with casually rolled up sleeves, black pencil skirt that reached her knees, just to show thin calves and black high heels. Her red hair was freely falling around her face in a strict straight bob and her cat-like eyes could kill – at least Cullen sometimes thought so.

“Rosecult,” she repeated the name of their Herald, making Cullen raise his eyebrows. Her Orlesian accent was quite apparent when she was not talking business. “I think he’s a she.”

“Oh,” he let out lamely. “Maybe?”

“You don’t think so?” she tilted her head and he had an urge to ask her if her meeting wasn’t about to start. She and Cassandra were nagging him about Rosecult for two days already – made him drink coffee with salt (he expected it, but still tasted it without thinking just to spend ten minutes spitting it out and coughing) and even gave him a long talk about trust, despite the fact he managed to get the Herald to their alliance the same day of the fiasco.

“Honestly, I didn’t give it much thought,” he shrugged, returning to the roster. “He or she, does it matter?”

“No, I suppose it doesn’t,” she agreed and clicking of heels warned him she came closer, until there were red nailed hands on his table. “I just wanted to know your opinion. You have been talking with _her_ after all.”

“All of us had been talking to Rosecult,” he replied stubbornly. Was she trying to corner him somehow? He couldn’t find her reason; there was nothing he hid before them about the Herald. “Have you asked Cassandra?”

“You know Cassandra is not really one of the most perceptive people when it comes to small nuances in person’s behaviour,” she chuckled and it made him look up again. There was an evident amusement in her features and he couldn’t pinpoint why. “She’s dealing the same way with everyone.”

“That’s true,” he mumbled and put down the pen. “Does this conversation have a point?”

Her red lips widened in a smile and he knew there _was_ a point, but a hidden one she didn’t want to tell him about _yet_. She was gathering clues, he knew that expression.

“Leliana…” he called her name warningly and she just shrugged and straightened up.

“I was just curious what you thought of her,” she said as if it was no big deal. “You made her join up awfully fast on Sunday.”

“We had talked it out,” he commented sternly. “And you were right anyway. It’s just a game, no reason to take it so seriously.”

“Hmmm,” she hummed thoughtfully. “Alright then.”

“Alright,” he repeated, giving her one more suspicious look, and grabbed the pen again. “Now if you excuse me… I need to finish this. And I believe there is a meeting you should be attending.”

“Well, _you_ should be attending as well,” she pointed out lightly. “But because I’m a nice person, I’m covering for you.”

“I’m sure it covers up the salt in my coffee,” he uttered and only her laughter came as an answer, before it quieted down when she left. He waited for a one more minute before he was sure she was gone and then let out a long sigh.

Who cared if Rosecult was a man or a woman? It was a game; gender didn’t matter, as long as they knew how to play. And he- _she_ knew how. The first Halamshiral was a bit clumsy, but the next two runs went smoothly and she was a quick learner.

So really. It seriously didn’t matter.

***

Well, maybe she was a girl. She probably talked more like a girl? All those emotes and then she said her new job was about paperwork, and she had an Orlesian colleague who was using a bit too much perfumes.

Well, that didn’t mean it had to be woman, even Orlesian men were using it like water.

And paperwork never meant work only for females. He was doing paperwork too right now anyway, although mostly because Leliana was covering for him at the meeting.

“Well, maybe…” he hummed, scratching his head. “Not entirely impossible…?”

“What is?”

He almost jumped out of his skin when a thickly accented voice interrupted the silence and he almost felt guilty for thinking about the topic at work. Especially when Cassandra was watching him from the doors like he grew another head.

“You alright, Cullen?”

“Fine,” he quickly waved his hand, and chuckled, when he took a second look of her. There was a dark smudge on her right cheek and her hair looked like she just ran through a wild forest.

“Had been working on that truck?” he guessed and watched her zip down the top part of her firefighter uniform, revealing white tank top under it. She hanged the coat on the rack and nodded.

“It works now,” she added for a good measure, probably to shut Cullen up if he had an urge to go and check. “Was just the oil.”

“Great work,” he didn’t make any remark and earned a curious glance. She probably expected it.

“So what is not impossible?” she apparently let it go, since she took a free chair and dragged it towards Cullen’s desk. “The roster is not coming together?”

“The roster is fine,” he showed her almost completed sheet and she skimmed over it with her eyes.

_Always the perfectionist._

“So?”

“Was just thinking about stupid stuff, nothing important,” he assured her with a smile, earning a not entirely convinced look in return. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to tell her, but… yeah, he didn’t want to tell her. Leliana would make fun of him for several years in that case.

“You can go home by the way,” she changed the topic, seemingly giving up on him elaborating. “You’ve stayed here longer yesterday, it’s my turn.”

“You sure?” he blinked, and Cassandra made a disgusted noise, successfully telling him without words how unnecessary that question had been.

“Tethras is here,” she uttered dryly and Cullen immediately understood.

“You think he is going to bother you?”

“I’m quite certain,” she hissed, the unhappiness dripping from her voice. “I’d be very surprised if he would be satisfied only with Leliana’s presence. The fact I haven’t been on the meeting – and you too when we are at it – is going to grant me an earful.”

“You sure you don’t want me to back you up?” he offered, trying to bite back a smile. Cassandra’s past with Varric Tethras was always something to learn of, although she hated to talk about it. Varric, on the other hand, _loved_ to colour it even more and add dragons and swords in it, with his storytelling talent, just to amuse his listeners.

Cullen always thought he kind of confused his jobs and should have been a writer instead of a spokesman for their unit. Although he had a natural gift for both. As well as for making Cassandra rage with only few words or a smirk.

“I’m sure,” she grumbled. “What use you would be, sitting there and looking like a holy picture so he would let you be.”

“I beg to differ,” he chuckled and she just shook her head. “I occasionally compliment him as well.”

“Right,” she glared at him like it was a sin against nature and Cullen nodded with a small laugh and stood up.

“Okay then. I’ll entrust it to you,” he informed her sweetly and grabbed his jacket. He kind of wished for the paperwork term to be over so he wouldn’t need to wear that stupid tie and shirts and feel like a peacock.

Cassandra only waved him off and definitely prepared the most unsatisfied expression for Varric to see. He still thought she secretly liked the guy though, at least out of respect.

He would never say it out loud though.

***

**[Alliance][Lion_Commander]: Good afternoon.**

It was a habit, Cullen thought, and probably not a good one. But every time he came from work, a city or somewhere else than his own flat, he immediately started up his PC and the game. Even before he took off his work clothes, or made something to eat, it was like a reflex.

He always greeted his alliance and after that went for a shower and changed into more comfortable clothes, made something to snack on and sat to his table. A ritual, probably, and a one his sister always hated when she saw him doing it.

During his absence he got back several greetings from online people and quite often few requests for help or an advice with which he always dealt first. Today wasn’t any different, except of the fact Rosecult had been online but hadn’t responded.

Not that it was mandatory. Just… strange, probably, since she always did. Or he.

_Ugh. Damn Leliana._

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Hello, everything in order?**

He wasn’t really sure why he decided to push it. If Rosecult wanted to talk, there would be an answer. Or maybe even a whisper. Silence was an indication of _off limits_ , wasn’t it? At least usually. Or maybe just AFK.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Hey. Yeah, all is fine. Sorry I haven’t greeted you before.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh, no worries. Just wanted to check if you’re alive :)**

He started using emotes more. What an easy thing to overtake from somebody, he wouldn’t believe.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Trying to, but thank you.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Did something happen?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: No no. All is fine, dw.**

Cullen frowned a little, a sudden itch to offer help overcoming it. But that would be weird, wouldn’t it.

_Do you want to talk about it?_

He shook his head and flexed his fingers above the keyboard.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Alright. If you need help with anything, feel free to hit me up.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Thanks.**

“Hmmm… bad mood, probably,” he mumbled, looking at her somewhat cold answers. _His. Goddammit._

He almost missed his phone beeping how he was trying to understand, and realized he left it in the pocket of his trousers. He left the PC with a thoughtful expression and fished for the device, just to see Cassandra sent him a text, and for a moment he thought she would be asking him to come back to dispose of Varric‘s body.

 

**16:22 - Cassandra**

**How expensive are middle-sized coffins?**

 

He snorted and laughter bubbled in him like lava. Sometimes this woman was unbelievably fun.

**16:23 – Cullen**

**Have you killed him already?**

**16:24 – Cassandra**

**Chasing him around a table with a pen. For how small he is, he is pretty fast.**

**16:25 – Cullen**

**Will you need me for disposing of the body later?**

**16:28 – Cassandra**

**I will manage. I can pretend it’s an oversized pig**.

 

“Goddammit, woman, you’re seriously priceless,” he chuckled, sending her his best regards and returned to his table with a smile on his lips. Varric was a good guy; he just had a knack of making Cassandra go feral without even trying that hard. Cullen suspected him he considered it a sport, or maybe a hobby, since he always did the same thing, even when he knew it was driving her mad.

He put his phone on the table and checked the game again, immediately noticing there was a whisper from Rosecult.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Actually, do you have a moment?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Sure. Sorry for the late reply, had to take care of something.**

A weird anticipation flooded through him. Could something happen?

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: sorry to bother you, I just… I need to tell somebody or I’ll probably explode.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You’re not bothering me at all. What happened?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: It’s just this whole thing. I was so full of myself when I moved, like I can do this and all, but now I just feel like shit, because I can’t, and this stupid flat is half functional and the job I have is a nightmare and I don’t know anyone in here I can go out with and it SUCKS.**

Work trouble then, he thought. Bad flat? So had she moved recently?

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Like when it rains, it pours sort of situation?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: exactly. I mean, I’ve come to work today, IN TIME, and just, right from the first moment I got shit from that Orlesian perfume box that I work too slow, that the pile she gave me yesterday should have been done already. Plus she loaded me another two piles, of course, of the same stupid stuff I’ve been doing, and it’s like losing IQ points while doing it – I’m pretty sure it’s her work anyway, there is her name on it, and she just hates it, so she gives it to me.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh man. She sounds worse with each message.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: plus she had the damn nerve to tell me I should think of what I’m wearing, that colour of my blouse doesn’t match with my heels and seriously, what? She was dressed like she was going to hop on somebody’s table and tell them to call her mommy.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Sorry, that’s kind of hilarious picture. Horrible person though.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: it’s just my second day there… I don’t want to make a fuss because one stupid person decided to give me hell for no reason whatsoever. I mean, I’ve done everything she asked me to, and left about ten papers unfinished yesterday. Ten! Out of like 50!**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Maybe you should, though? Tell somebody higher. Maybe she’s just sensing you’re new and wouldn’t talk back, so she is trying waters? Or try to reason with her, tell her to stop or you’re going to fill complain?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: to what end? A two days old employee versus several years old one? No point.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Maybe. And maybe not. Maybe she was already problematic?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: >.<**

There was a long pause and Cullen didn’t know what to write to make her feel better. Work-related problems were always bad when there was no other work place you could go to, or you just couldn’t stay without a job to pay the rent. He knew from Mia that working in a purely female team was a painful experience, at least usually, because there was at least one woman who decided to be nasty and found a weaker target to feel superior. It was rather difficult to stand up to it in that case, no matter what other always said. How to ignore, how to be stronger - if it was that easy, there wouldn’t be so many unhappy employee all over the world.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I’m sorry for this. Thanks for hearing me out though. I just… I guess I just needed to vent a little.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Don’t apologize. I don’t mind at all, I just don’t know how to help you other way than listen.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: you listening was the best thing you could do, really.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I’m glad then :)**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Sometimes I seriously wish I could play at work. At least for chatting, to stop thinking for a while.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Haha, I know that feeling.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Thanks again though. Commander :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I told you it’s alright. I’m a knight, got to help a damsel in distress.**

Right the moment he sent the message he knew it was a bad, bad move.

“Crap.”

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Joking! Of course. I wouldn’t- I don’t mean you’re a damsel – or in distress.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Pfffffffffff.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I’m so sorry.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: you’re hilarious :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: :(**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: So. How was your workday?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You wouldn’t believe.**

He smiled at her reaction, feeling calmer again.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Paperwork.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: cursed paperwork!**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Very cursed. I may play a gravedigger tomorrow though.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: :O**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: My colleague might or might not have killed our spokesman.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: bahahaha. I mean. Sad?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Hilarious actually. The grave digging – not so much.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I’m sure you’ll manage :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I’ll have to, I could end up the same otherwise.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: and we don’t want that :P**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Certainly :)**

She was rather… sweet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Bit of work-related shenanigans. Working in purely female team is hell.  
> Anyway, Varric! Or maybe not anymore, depends if Cassandra killed him or not :D
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


	6. Outside of the Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I’m getting this… itch at work.   
> [Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Wait, that sounded weird.  
> [Whisper][Rosecult]: a lil :D  
> [Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Like… I can’t wait to get home? To talk.   
> [Whisper][Lion_Commander]: With you I mean. It’s… strange.  
> [Whisper][Rosecult]: Oh.

There wasn’t much to look forward to when she got up in the morning, dressed and walked to work through the grey, cold city. At such hour there was almost nobody around, the sky was still dark and the night only grudgingly drawing out before the sun. She usually walked fast – not that she was looking forward to her job, but to get away from the eerie quiet, occasionally interrupted by dogs barking and growling in the distance.

In a luxurious building, almost too out of place in Denerim, awaited her a horrible perfume smell, a horrible perfumed woman and a horrible perfumed paperwork that probably held the stench even after it left their office. Even Eve’s clothes smelled of it when she left the building – a heavy, sweet scent she grew to hate, kind of floral, but also with a hint of spicy end.

It had been two weeks since she started working there. All days were basically the same repetitive pain – Florianne’s work falling on her table while the woman browsed the internet or just left the office to chat somewhere, probably gossip about Eve’s clothes colour choice. There were already several incidents of other women from the company watching her with a quiet laughter in the small kitchen, pretending to making coffee while gossiping in hushed whispers, and once she even heard _that’s her, do you see that?!_

It was a never ending nightmare. She had no idea _how_ to stop it, what kind of dress she ought to wear for them to be satisfied, how to stop her _horrible Free Marches accent_ when she was talking to them, how to stop hearing all those quiet laughs behind her back. When she looked, they shut up, but there were looks lingering anyway.

So she decided not to leave the office until she really had to pee or bring something to other room, and it was never ending circle of suffering. When Florianne disappeared to ditch her work during the day, it was always a blessing, but she didn’t bother to open the window anymore. She just prayed for the day to be over soon – she even started to go to work much earlier so she could leave earlier as well – and once the time reached half past two, she was gone like a wind.

She did only minor task on her way home – grocery shopping or visiting post office when needed – but otherwise it was a straight bee line to her flat. The city was livelier at that time, of course, with people passing her without interest, and she seriously hoped every time she went through the well-known alleys that nobody was going to stop her from her goal to reach her destination, to start up the game and forget again what she brought on herself with her stubborn decision to move and _be independent._

The game itself was probably the only thing that held her sane, she thought. Denerim wasn’t really a place she felt comfortable in, and since her flat got finally the heaters fully to function (she had to call the landlord and it earned her unhappy dealings, but it got the work done) and the pipes apparently got rid of the rust, it was a fine place where she could spend her time without feeling guilty about it, or uncomfortable to stay.

Plus she was always looking forward to talking with Commander. Out of the whole alliance he was basically the only person she really enjoyed no matter what. He was smart and funny, he listened and offered opinions, he never got angry or annoyed, even when she complained about the work. Of course, she tried not to – he had his own troubles and listening to hers (petty ones, she knew) wasn’t the best topic they could share. But he listened nevertheless and it always warmed her up to him.

 _A perfect gentleman_ , she thought. They talked about so many things in one day she often stopped playing altogether and just sat somewhere secluded in the game world and chatted, like nothing was more important at that moment than him.

There were days he came home late and she found herself missing him, not even that keen on playing, just talking. Of course, Wildcard was also a pretty good option for chatting, although a person could take only that much crazy before needing to calm down. She liked the girl and even got her into their alliance, because why not? She was a skilled player, she was active, and she seriously loved banter. Not to mention they apparently lost several members when Eve joined (Commander said it was _expected_ , but she still felt guilty about it), so new people coming in was a good thing.

Plus reading Wildcard’s attempts to get one of the mages seriously ruffled every time she saw him online was too hilarious to pass. Fen’Harel, how the mage was nicknamed, was usually a calm, quiet force. He really liked the game’s lore and he was apparently very smart in real life too, knowing eerily lot about history and art. She thought he was a professor or at least some kind of historian for how literal he had been. The right grammar, the super polite expressions – Eve had to admit talking to him was always somewhat… rewarding, in a way. If he wasn’t nagged by Wildcard, of course. In that case he turned sassy – sassier than Eve would expect of him – and even though he was nothing like Wildcard, he could rival her in their _conversations_ like a pro. Maybe that was why the whole alliance always shut up and let them deal with it in a private duel of words while eating popcorn or something, enjoying the show.

**[Alliance][Wildcard]: ugh how more elfy you can get?**

**[Alliance][Fen’Harel]: Sophisticated and tactful you mean? Well, definitely more than you.**

**[Alliance][Wildcard]: pffffffffffff maybe bigger ears have you thought of it**

Lion_Commander logged in.

**[Alliance][Wildcard]: muuuuuuuuuuuuuch bigger so youd fall over bahahahaha**

**[Alliance][Fen’Harel]: Certainly. Because that would make an excellent sense.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh no, they are at it again? >.<**

Eve chuckled when the whisper came. She completely missed the notion of him logging in in the swirl of their talking. And it was quite early as well, he usually logged in around four, but it was only three now.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Still, I think they never stopped. They just press pause button and resume once they are both online :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: *sigh***

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: you’re early today :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh, yeah. Bit of a sanitary day tomorrow and today they just chased us all out for preparing it. Not that I’m complaining.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: that would be weird :P**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: It would, wouldn’t it. But I may be a workaholic, you never know.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: not unless you tell me, yep :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I’m not, not really. I appreciate my free time a lot. Lately more than a lot.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Oh? Something changed?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Just got better things to do than sitting at work.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Uh huh :D**

She was probably selfish when she included herself in those _better things to do_ , but they really talked so much every day it seemed he basically gave her 90% of his free time anyway.

“Yeah, selfish,” she sighed, browsing lightly against the keyboards.

She loved talking with many people in this game. Night was a little scary to talk to, but she always had a perfect observations to point out – not even gossip, just careful watching. Eve considered it her hobby, probably, to analyse people and having many, _many_ shady connections. Maybe that was why she had been so damn scary when it surfaced occasionally in a conversation. Only an evil _mwuahahaha_ was missing at times.

Seeker was… well. She was a tough person for sure. Sometimes she probably didn’t even know she gave out that vibe, an authority that people were reacting to with all _yes m’am_ and _no m’am_ and _roger m’am_ – even Commander. At times Eve wondered who exactly led this alliance – but in overall it seemed like all three of them did. Night was more like a shadow eminence, Seeker like a tough, uncompromising power, a tough mum maybe, and Commander the one people were asking for advice and help – a dad in all this.

But all in all, Commander was the one she liked talking to the most. Even more than Hawke when he showed up, which wasn’t that often lately. He said something about careful courting and Eve assumed she had a new person to woo. He always had those moments where he fell for somebody – or just liked how they looked like – and everything else wasn’t important until he managed to hunt them down. Bad thing was it never really lasted – Hawke enjoyed the novelty and once it worn out and the stereotype happened, he broke up with them.

Sometimes she hoped he was going to find somebody who was going to kick his butt for it and wouldn’t let him go, while Hawke would be too shocked to complain. And then, maybe, settle down.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: It’s getting little embarrassing, really.**

She blinked at the new message, suddenly too lost in thoughts to comprehend what he was pointing at.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: What is?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I’m getting this… itch at work.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Wait, that sounded weird.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: a lil :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Like… I can’t wait to get home? To talk.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: With you I mean. It’s… strange.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Oh.**

She felt her breath hitching at that, her mind suddenly blank. They were talking like this for about two weeks now and she had the same unhappy feeling when she was at work and couldn’t tell him how Florianne bought a new perfume and it stunk like something died in her drawer, and when she came home the information wasn’t important anymore so she never told him. It was more about sharing, the ability to reach and say it to ease the mind, or to amuse him, and it was… not enough.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Sorry, that was a weird thing to say.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: That was why it’s embarrassing.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: No, it’s… not strange at all.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Is it not?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: No, not really. I mean, I have the same thoughts when I’m at work or somewhere I can’t reach you and tell you something absolutely stupid to feel embarrassed about later.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Sounds familiar.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Yeah?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I got already scolded I’m “spacing out”. Because I was thinking what to tell you once I get home, but really, I can’t tell them that, can I :)**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: you can, but you’d never hear the end of it :D If they are something like my friends or family.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Like what?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: like not really understanding games or… just meeting somebody online you’d like to talk more than somebody you know irl. Does it make any sense?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Perfect sense. My sister is like that. Well, and her husband. I think he still think of me as an unsociable freak, haha.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: D:**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Very long story :) I’ll tell you someday, to freak you out too.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I’m not that easily scared you know :P**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: We will see :)**

She bit her lower lip, the anticipation in her growing. Would it be too bold to offer him her number? Or maybe skype, she still had it somewhere, even though she rarely used it. Or some other means to be able to talk during the day, outside of the game. An e-mail?

Of course, it meant getting more personal. He might not want that. Sometimes it was just an escape from the reality, and that went with borders when it came to knowing the other person too much.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I was actually thinking of an e-mail. Or something.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: If it’s not too intrusive I mean! Just… being bound by the game is…**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Plus I sometimes work late and sometimes can’t even make it to the game at all and can’t let you know.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Which, of course, is not something you need to be interested in, I uh… I’m at the end of my rope here, seriously, my god >.> Please forget this >.<**

She would answer faster, she really would, if she wasn’t too busy staring at the screen in a complete daze. So it wasn’t just her? Talking outside of the game?

Oh god, he was just too adorable for words.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: No no. I’d actually like that.**

She wasn’t able to pour everything out, no words were coming to her. It was strange, really, really strange, but her heart jumped in excitement at it like an overjoyed puppy, and even though she had thousand things to say, all she could do was write him that sentence and wait for him to decide.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You… would?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Yeah :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh thank god. I was thinking how to make myself disappear for a moment.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: oh no, please don’t do that :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Will try then :) Hopefully I won’t embarrass myself further >.<**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: you’re not embarrassing yourself ;) You’re just braver than I am.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: And how’s that? Because right now I feel maybe more like a kid that broke his mum’s vase and now waited for her to find out.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: D: I’m not going to scold you or anything D:**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I hope not :)**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Mean :P I just… I meant to ask you too. For another contact I mean, outside of the game. But I wasn’t sure if you’d be up for it, so I chickened out x.x**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I wouldn’t call it “brave”, I’d call it “impatient”.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: are you? Impatient I mean.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Apparently. I mean… that sounded weird again >.> I’m just… hooked?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: That sounded even worse.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I understand :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Do you?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I’m always missing talking to you when you’re not online or I’m not online.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: this you mean?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Yeah.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Then I understand :)**

She had to take a deep breath to calm herself down somehow. She never actually got this hooked up on somebody when playing. Yes, she had few connections that grew somewhat deep several years ago, but… never like this. She was never bold enough to make more of it, always too scared of the consequences or disappointment.

His honesty was disarming. She would never be able to tell him these things if he hadn’t started; it was just too personal, too daring. And yet he did and she was overwhelmed and couldn’t help herself reacting to it.

She could almost hear her mother’s voice in her head, warning her and tearing the hope down, but she shut it out stubbornly.

For once… she could try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Two weeks later Evelyn is starting to understand she's kinda screwed :D  
> Anyway, workplaces and gossip, the topic for long, heated debates. Screws you over a lot.  
> Also, sweet, sweet Cullen xD
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


	7. Cullen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yeaaaaah,” Alistair didn’t look like he believed him – naturally – while his expression still reminded him of a cat that got the cream. “’m sure you’re lying at least in one thing out of those two. You’re forgetting I’m married.”  
> “Does that miraculously make you a mind reader?” Cullen pulled with a bit too much force and Alistair almost stumbled forward, not expecting it. It made the blond feel a little better. “Your ball on a chain?”

**Rosecult – 8:42 –**

**I’m so nervous. I can’t take it.**

**Commander – 8:42 –**

**Deep breaths, you can make it. Try to subtly tell her your colleague is a piece of work.**

**Rosecult – 8:44 –**

**A bitch, you mean.**

**Commander – 8:45 –**

**Well, if you put it that way…**

**Rosecult – 8:46 –**

**Opening up with: “She smells like an expensive trash can” would be probably bad, wouldn’t it.**

**Commander – 8:47 –**

**Sort of. Kinda… yeah. Sort of.**

**Rosecult – 8:50 –**

**She sprayed the room again. “Oh my god the terrible smell, uuugh.” *insert high-pitched Orlesian accent here***

**Commander – 8:51 –**

**Tell her to stop breathing under her nose.**

**Rosecult – 8:53 –**

**Hahahaha, yeah, I should :D**

**Rosecult – 8:53 –**

**So scared.**

**Commander – 8:54 –**

**Don’t be. It’s going to be fine. You said the PA seems nice.**

**Rosecult – 8:55 –**

**Florianne seemed nice as well at first.**

**Commander – 8:56 –**

**Point taken.**

**Rosecult – 8:59 –**

**Wish me luck QQ**

**Commander – 8:59 –**

**Crossing fingers :)**

 

“Can you stop staring into your phone for a minute and lend me a hand?” a typical Fereldan accented voice interrupted Cullen’s little world so suddenly he almost dropped his phone on the floor, catching it just in time.

“I swear to god you’re like my sister’s darkspawns, constantly on their phones,” another remark and Cullen cleared his throat and hid the device to the pocket.

“Sorry,” he apologized quietly and stepped closer to the other man, helping him with the fire hose he was reeling in. He earned a quirk of an eyebrow and tried not to fidget under the stare.

“You’re in love.”

“Alistair!” Cullen groaned and his companion’s lips stretched in a wide, shit eating grin. His eyes crinkled mischievously and it made him look about fifteen years younger.

“Hah, you are,” he pointed at him with laughter and almost dropped the hose in the process, catching it only with his sheer luck. “I was wondering why you kept on smiling like an idiot.”

“I’m-,” Cullen took a deep breath and shook his head. “First of all – no. Not in love. Second of all, I’m _not_ smiling like an idiot, my IQ is hopefully still intact.”

“Yeaaaaah,” Alistair didn’t look like he believed him – naturally – while his expression still reminded him of a cat that got the cream. “’m sure you’re lying at least in one thing out of those two. You’re forgetting I’m _married_.”

“Does that miraculously make you a mind reader?” Cullen pulled with a bit too much force and Alistair almost stumbled forward, not expecting it. It made the blond feel a little better. “Your ball on a chain?”

“Excuse me,” his colleague’s chest puffed and Cullen couldn’t help but laugh at it. He knew very well Alistair was madly in love with his wife, and he was probably never going to fall out of it. He behaved like a love-struck teen, wooing her, telling about her to everybody he met, and when she got pregnant, it was such a boom Cullen was wondering how they all survived. He hugged basically everyone and even lifted them to the air while repeating the happy news, and soon the whole squad had been in euphoria along with him. One thing about Alistair was that he could _always_ infect them with his good mood.

On the other hand it was a miracle Alistair alone was still intact when he did that even to Morrigan – and she seriously thought lesser of him than she could think of dirt on her expensive high heel shoes. Must have been because of his wife – these two women were friends, if Alistair liked it or not. The only luck was that he and Morrigan met only rarely when she came over to inform them of new budget reports or anything along those lines, being their official financial manager. She just chose the lucky day and Cullen thought Alistair hugged her on purpose, because she was there in a white costume and he was all from grime.

Not that seeing her in white was something he ever could get used to. She was more of a… dark type, he thought. But they heard the yelling through the whole building.

 “My wife is a saint! The perfect woman!” he didn’t disappoint. “God, I love her so much…”

“I know, man,” Cullen patted him on a shoulder and smiled. “Still not a mind reader though.”

“Oh yeah, I meant,” Alistair resumed his previous conversation fluidly. “That I had been falling in love too. And I know how it looks. And you look how it looks. Like. It looks that way.”

“Go on, you’re making perfect sense,” Cullen smirked and when he finally got to the end of the hose, he pushed it to the box and closed the lit.

“It is a girl though, isn’t it,” Alistair crossed his arms on his chest, grinning at him knowingly, and Cullen had an urge to roll his eyes.

“It is,” Leliana’s voice suddenly flew between them and at that point Cullen really did the gesture, sensing a terrible conclusion coming his way. It was matter of several seconds before Leliana walked towards them with a several breathing masks in her hands, her uniform pushed down till her waist where she left it hanging freely along her thighs.

“He’s so into her it’s not even worth to make fun of him anymore,” she gave him a sly smile and yeah, there it was. Alistair’s eyes immediately lit up, sensing an interesting turn of events, and nudged Cullen’s shoulders.

“So? Who is she? How does she look like? How long are you going out?”

“Hold on,” Cullen raised his hands in a defensive gesture, sending Leliana a glare. She only chuckled and continued on her way to the storage room, probably. He hoped the wind would shut the door behind her and she wouldn’t have the keys.

“No no, tell me the juicy details,” Alistair didn’t let him go though and Cullen felt like he was in a trap. “Where did you meet?”

“In a game,” Cullen mumbled. “Hey, it’s really nothing, we are just talking.”

“Wait, what game?” his colleague blinked in confusion. “Like those things you three keep on talking about? That online M§M?”

“MMO,” Cullen corrected him with a sigh. Explaining that to somebody who never really understood how online conversations worked, was going to be fruitless – especially when Alistair was bit of an _old school_ , not really getting how people could fall in love when they never physically met.

Not that Cullen was in love.

Well, yes, he liked Rosecult a lot. Maybe really a lot.

Oh god, he was hopeless, and it was just two months.

“Riiiight,” Alistair flicked his fingers and looked even more pleased than before. “Well, it’s a start. I thought you’re beginning your hermit phase.”

“You sound like my sister.”

“That’s a compliment,” Alistair grinned happily. “So what do you like about her?”

“Are we really having this conversation?” Cullen groaned again – it felt like everybody in this building ought to tease him about it. He was getting used to Leliana, because she knew everything without anyone telling her. He secretly accused her of being an alien who actually _could_ read minds.

Cassandra didn’t say anything until a week ago when Leliana told her about Cullen’s constant phone nursing, because he had _Rosecult on the line_. At that point he thought the Seeker had been watching him with a slightly different expression – a bit of a wonder, probably, like she was curious but didn’t know how to ask. He hoped she would never figure it out.

“What can I say,” Alistair shrugged and then took Cullen around his shoulders and shook him slightly. “I love talking about love.”

“Maker preserve me.”

“What?”

“You really need to start playing something, Alistair.”

“I’m gonna play a dad soon,” Alistair grinned widely and Cullen really didn’t have much to add. He was pretty sure they were going to hear every detail of it anyway.

***

**Rosecult – 10:07 –**

**All I could do was sit there and nod.**

**Rosecult – 10:07 –**

**“Do you like it here?” nod. “Not having any troubles?” nod. Like a damn idiot!**

**Commander – 10:08 –**

**Oh man. Why?**

**Rosecult – 10:10 –**

**Florianne was sitting next to me. I just… couldn’t.**

“Damn,” he mumbled, slowly feeling the anger stirring up in him. He hated being so helpless and unable to do anything for her. Words just weren’t enough lately – all those situations made him want to hug her and tell her it was going to be alright, but instead of that he was sitting at work, quietly growling, and if that Florianne found a way under his hands, he would probably locked her up somewhere small and dark and full of her damn perfumes.

**Rosecult – 10:15 –**

**Sometimes I really wish you’d be here.**

 

He blinked. Was she reading his mind? It awfully looked like she did.

**Commander – 10:16 –**

**I was thinking the same thing. Even if I could just drag you out somewhere, get coffee or stuff you with something sweet so you get your energy back.**

**Rosecult – 10:17 –**

**More like job hunting with me, haha.**

**Rosecult – 10:17 –**

**You’re really, really sweet though. Thank you. I appreciate it :)**

“You’re the one who’s sweet,” he whispered, feeling stupid for it, but couldn’t help himself. When she talked about her work, he could feel the desperate effort to overcome it somehow without vent it in there, creating problems, but making herself miserable in a process.

He knew she moved from a family house, she wasn’t used to living alone and everything had been a shock at first, but as far as he knew she seemed exceptionally capable to deal with it. Except of this – and it worried him immensely.

**Rosecult – 10:30 –**

**You there?**

He took a deep breath. He knew he didn’t have the right to want anything from her, but the need to know her more, closer and better was growing in him with each passing day. He found himself wondering how her laugher would sound like. How exactly she pronounced “exquisite” when she was using the word two weeks ago to describe her new gained armour in the game. How her lips would form it, how quiet or loud would she be.

“I’m hopeless,” he sighed and leaned back against the locker he was sitting at. The empty changing room was a perfect hideout, especially from Leliana who spied at him constantly, and he didn’t want anyone to see him this way.

He looked down at the chat log, seeing her nickname shining there, and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

**Rosecult – 10:40 –**

**I’m sorry if I’ve offended you or anything. I didn’t mean to, I just think you’re seriously nice.**

**Rosecult – 10:44 –**

**Commander?**

**Commander – 10:45 –**

**Call me Cullen.**

 

He typed his name fast, without hesitation, and sent it before he could catch up with his own thoughts. He wanted her to know him. He wanted to know her too. He just wasn’t sure if it was wise. If she wanted as well. If he was just… imagining things.

Two months and he was falling for her.

He knew almost nothing of the person. She was smart. She was funny. She was so damn suave. She made him laugh and made him smile like an idiot. She could cheer him up with a single sentence, she soothed his nerves, she chased his bad dreams away.

He wanted to be better for her.

**Rosecult – 10:49 –**

**Oh.**

 

**Rosecult – 10:55 –**

**Sorry, my brain froze I think.**

**Commander – 10:55 –**

**Good, mine did too I guess.**

**Rosecult – 10:56 –**

**Cullen.**

 

**Commander – 10:57 –**

**Yes?**

**Rosecult – 10:58 –**

**I’m Evelyn.**

“Evelyn.”

That name danced on his tongue like electricity. Evelyn, _Eve_ , this adorable little person.

“I’m done for.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Alistaaaaaaaaaair! <3  
> Also, Cullen being hopeless and bold at the same time, you go big guy!
> 
> Edit: Ao3 apparently decided to eat some words in the text messages logs - fixed it.


	8. A Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sorry,” she apologized with a sheepish smile. “Rarely anyone knows, really.”  
> “Why so secretive?” he titled his head in curiosity. “Moved in with your lesbian girlfriend?”  
> “You talked with my great-aunt too?” she face-palmed and Dorian grinned wickedly. “No, no lesbian girlfriend. A friend, yes.”  
> “As far as I checked I can’t be classified as a lesbian, sadly,” he let out a dramatic sigh. “Although I have a certain weakness...”  
> “Oh Dorian…” she nudged him in the shoulder. Another chiming sound.

“Preposterous. Simply preposterous.”

“Dorian,” Eve crossed her arms on her chest, giving the black haired man an evil look. He barely even told her hi, he just barged in and started badmouthing things like her mother would. He didn’t even take down his coat, so he reminded her of a mafia boss, and walked there in his shoes on as well.

“Everything here is terribly ugly. Terribly,” he waved his hand against the room, even scoffed against the full sink (alright, _alright!)_ and then stopped at Eve’s form. “Except of you, of course.”

When he opened his arms, she knew she could run in with laughter, finally, and he lifted her from the floor and spin her around like a child.

“How have you been, you precious flower?” he fixed her stray hair that fell from her bun and seemed like he wanted to comment on it, but apparently thought better of it. She was pretty sure there were more things he could have talked about – especially when he caught her off guard like that, just visiting in the middle of Saturday while she had been still in her pyjamas bottoms and a baggy t-shirt.

“Oh, you know how it is, work and then some,” she smiled and watched him shedding off his coat, revealing perfectly elegant clothes under like he just arrived from an important meeting about the fate of the world. Although it was Dorian, he didn’t have any other clothes than those that screamed _expensive_ on him. Just the good kind though.

“Then some,” he repeated rather sternly and giving her an evil eye. “Like moving out of your family’s nest while leaving it in disarray that you hate them forever?”

“So you’ve talked to my mother,” she understood that notion immediately.

“And your father,” he agreed with a deep sigh. “I swear they both couldn’t beg me to bring you back home enough, it was embarrassing. But at least I could have ogled your gardener again.”

“Of course,” she chuckled and he took her around her shoulders again, kissing the top of her head.

“It needs some work, and you could have picked a better place than Denerim, but I approve,” he told her with a warm smile. “I was happy to get out of Ostwick and I wasn’t even living there.”

“Ostwick wasn’t a problem,” she shrugged and offered him the couch to sit on, which he promptly did. “I just needed to get away from the constant supervision.”

“Completely understandable,” he agreed with her. “I couldn’t do that myself fast enough too, so I’m only happy you actually followed my footsteps.”

“Where are you even living now?” she put the kettle for a tea and came to sit next to him, mentally apologizing to Cullen for leaving him with _oh, brb, doorbell_ and no other update.

“Antiva,” Dorian smiled like he just said something terribly delicious. “I was thinking of Rivain, but have you heard of the riots?”

“Just the scraps,” she admitted, wondering if Isabella was alright. She hadn’t heard of her forever by now. Not to mention she didn’t even have TV here. She barely watched it anyway. “So why Antiva?”

“It’s warm and flashy of course, like me,” Dorian grinned at her cheekily. “I’ve considered Orlais, but their mask’s fetish is getting out of hand.”

She laughed, remembering very well the Val Royeaux citizens wearing masks like it was completely normal. She even felt wrong when her face was visible, after two days being constantly greeted with bunnies and winged eyes and feathery masks.

“Antiva is a long way from here though,” she pointed out, trying to ignore how her phone chimed in the next room. Cullen, for sure.

_I’m so sorry!_

“Stopped at Ostwick, of course. Learned about your escape, which is, by the way, really rude that I found out that way and not from you,” he gave her an evil eye and yeah, it was low from her. But most of her friends didn’t know – not that she felt like they would interfere, but it never really occurred to her to tell them _before_ it was all done. Maybe to feel more independent – or maybe as a measure if it wouldn’t work out. Not even Hawke knew she moved, that was enough said.

“Sorry,” she apologized with a sheepish smile. “Rarely anyone knows, really.”

“Why so secretive?” he titled his head in curiosity. “Moved in with your _lesbian girlfriend?”_

“You talked with my great-aunt too?” she face-palmed and Dorian grinned wickedly. “No, no lesbian girlfriend. A friend, yes.”

“As far as I checked I can’t be classified as a lesbian, sadly,” he let out a dramatic sigh. “Although I have a certain weakness...”

“Oh Dorian…” she nudged him in the shoulder. Another chiming sound.

“But really,” he nudged her back. “Why?”

“No reason. Just wanted to be independent, I think,” she drew her knees under her chin and hummed. “It’s going alright by the way. At first I freaked out, but it settled down.”

“I see,” he nodded thoughtfully. “And how long are you going to ignore the phone?”

She whined and when he just made a vague gesture with his hand, she ran to her bedroom to get it. Her laptop was already showing a _disconnected_ screen and her phone had several messages from Cullen, worrying if everything was alright, that she abruptly went off.

**Cullen – 14:52 –**

**Eve, you okay?**

**Cullen – 15:15 –**

**You’re even off in the game, seriously, is everything alright?**

**Cullen – 15:32 –**

**Oh god, you totally got kidnapped, didn’t you.**

“Damn wi-fi here,” she mumbled, hastily replying she got a friend over and the game crashed, apologizing profusely.

“A friend of yours?” Dorian’s voice was suddenly right behind her – she didn’t even realize him creeping up on her and reading over her shoulder.

_Oh no._

“Um… yeah,” she hid her phone lamely, but it was already too late. Dorian had that stupid grin on his face, the one that said _oooooh, gossip_ , and she knew she wasn’t going to get him off her back unless she would tell him the truth.

“Cullen, hmm,” he said his name in wonder. “Who it might be? What aren’t you telling me? Wait, is he the lesbian friend who is not lesbian?”

“He’s definitely not lesbian,” she couldn’t help but laugh, peeking at the phone again, immediately noticing his relieved reply. “It’s just one guy…”

“Yes?”

“I met him online…”

“No.”

“It’s nothing,” she assured him, seeing his disagreeing expression. Dorian was one of those people who wasn’t against long distance relationships, but only if it had some real, physical background.

Not that it was a relationship with Cullen. They were friends.

A good friends, occasionally flirting, but… he never really indicated wanting more and she never had the guts to make the first step.

“You know how he looks like?” he started with twenty questions and she knew she was going to fail them right from the start. “Or at least he sent you a photo pretending to be him, even if it’s instead some Seheron brute trying to find more girls for his harem?”

“Oh please,” she rolled her eyes, but Dorian’s expression stayed. “No, I don’t know how he looks like.”

“Brilliant,” he uttered.

“We are just talking.”

“That’s why you’re hiding the phone from me,” he crossed his arms on his chest and Eve whined. There was no winning with him, ever.

“It’s… personal,” she admitted, and he went _ha!_ as she had expected. “Look, he’s just really nice and I needed somebody to talk to. My new job sucks and-,”

“Your new job sucks?” he stopped right away and became all serious again.

“Well… a bit,” she had an urge to bit her tongue for that stupid slip. She didn’t want to make him worried, which, of course, happened. “Just… you know. Collective full of females, it tends to suck.”

No response, but his eyes were forcing her to spill it out.

“My colleague apparently doesn’t really fancy me and it’s tougher than I expected,” she closed it off in a mumble. “No biggie.”

“No biggie,” he repeated. “And _Cullen_ ’s role in all this?”

“No role,” she shook her head. “I just talk to him and occasionally mention things from there and it makes me feel better, because he listens, and… that’s it, really.”

“You met him in a game, didn‘t you,” the sudden change of topic confused her momentarily, but she nodded anyway. Dorian hummed, twirling his moustache between his thumb and index finger, and then turned around and left the bedroom.

“That’s great actually,” she heard him calling from the next room. “I just have a terrible urge to play something! I haven’t done it _years_.”

_Ooooh no._

He was back in a minute with his own laptop in hand, looking at her challengingly. There was no escape, she was aware.

“So how about you introduce me to this… game?”

She wanted to cry.

***

“Fasta vass! I can’t go anywhere in _those_ rags!”

Eve almost suffocated in her pillow how she was trying to hide the laughter. Playing with Dorian was so far the most hilarious thing ever. He spent about an hour and half in the character creation – redoing, tinkering, until he was satisfied and his character actually looked pretty damn good. But the first problem appeared when he got the initial clothes the mage race started with, and then got another one that was even worse. His swearing was basically everything she heard these past three hours. He didn’t even get out of the tutorial phase, because he kept on trying to find something more _suitable_.

“Dorian, it will get better, but you have to level up a bit more,” she told him with a smile and an apparent dissatisfaction on his face was too funny to pass.

“But if not, I’m blaming you,” he grumbled, finally moving on from the beginning. He had a good knack on plying the Mage; she had to admit, even though he hadn’t played for so many years. They had started browsing MMOs together though, when they were younger, with the only difference Dorian stopped at some point but Eve didn’t.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Did he give up? The friend of yours. It has been hours.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: He’s just a perfectionist. Like, the worst kind ever :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: With the character creation?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: That too. Also clothes.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Ah. Nicer armour is… well. On higher level, haha.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Yep, that’s what I told him. So far he’s swearing :D But he’s finally out of the tutorial area.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Phew. Should I invite him then?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Yes please. It’s “Altus”.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Invitation sent.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Thank you ^^**

“Lion Commander?” Dorian’s voice almost gave her a heart-attack, how she was used to living here alone already. She got so absorbed in the chat with Cullen it was really easy to let the rest of the environment go.

“Alliance leader, sort of,” she said back, gesturing for him to accept the invitation. “It’s for our alliance.”

“And here I was hoping somebody was trying to chat me up,” Dorian commented dryly and she chuckled.

“I can ask him, if you want,” she suggested, secretly hoping it would be enough to delude him from asking who out of all those people Cullen was.

“Nah, don’t bother,” he responded lowly. “It’s Cullen, isn’t it.”

_Shoot._

“Yes, it is,” she mumbled grudgingly. Dorian didn’t really look phased though, he just accepted the invitation, which showed on in her chat log, and continued in his quests.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I was really afraid something happened though.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Aw, I’m sorry. He’s always making the room full of himself right away, I couldn’t leave him there :/**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: No no, I didn’t mean… uh.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: It wasn’t like I was scolding you or anything.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I know :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: What kind of person he is then?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Fun to talk with, you’ll see. We know each other for ages.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh. Childhood friends, even?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Almost :D We officially met when we were… 12 I think.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Quite young.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Not that young :D Not for photos of us in the same bathtub or anything anymore, haha.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: A bathtub?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Yeah, you know, little kids never having shame and such.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh, haha.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Well, we were too old for it :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I see.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: He’s really nice though, don’t worry. Dunno how active he’ll be once he leave back home, but as long as he’ll stay here, I’m sure he’s going to play.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Oh, you mean your place?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Yup.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: We will see then.**

“What’s Herald?”

“Don’t pick that!” she quickly said, cancelling the chat answer. “Or you’ll end up like me and Cullen is going to hate you forever.”

“Aww, we don’t want him to hate me, do we,” Dorian teased her with a big smirk and for a while she thought he was really going to pick it, until he settled on another choice, thankfully not an apostate or a blood mage.

This was probably going to be interesting… Eve was already scared of the result.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Dorian, my eternal love, for real. I swear he's one my faves in a long shot. Perfect sense of humour and basically everything :D


	9. Feet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cullen – 12:30 –  
> Lol. You’re the naughty one, not me :P  
> Evelyn – 12:31 –  
> Or maybe you’re actually thinking of something very, very bad right now, while imagining a hot actress with you there :o  
> Cullen – 12:32 –  
> Excuse me. I’m an independent person; I alone am hot enough for a fulfilling fantasy.

Cullen felt lame. It was Sunday morning and he already burned his breakfast and spilled his coffee all over the floor. When he loaded the game, _Altus_ was already online along with Eve and judging from both of their locations in the guild log, they were playing together.

Not that it was wrong.

Hell no, it was probably the best thing – he was her friend, right? Who crashed at _her_ place as well. Who was spending time there, with her, alone. Who knew her personally.

It wasn’t wrong and Cullen had no right to feel pissy about it. Yet he stared at the guild log like an obsessed idiot and could barely comprehend his own bitterness. He would probably understand if he was really involved with this girl – but they were just talking and playing together, nothing else. He had no idea how she looked like, she had no idea how he looked like, where they lived or what was the last name.

They just talked.

Against all these simple facts Cullen just couldn’t help himself.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Hi! You’re up early :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Hey, yeah, couldn’t really sleep.**

Because he kept on thinking about her.

Before _Altus_ came along, Cullen was fine, right? Like, content. The fact he didn’t know how she looked like or that they weren’t actually meeting or anything wasn’t such a big deal, because he felt great even with the little they shared. Not even thinking of anything more than writing to her, getting replies, it always flowed so easily.

But suddenly the simple statement somebody from the same game knew her so closely, so long, so personally, was like a punch to the gut. Like it woke up all the possibilities he had missed, like it all suddenly wasn’t enough, and he hated himself for that. Two and half a month, a record probably for him to start getting restless and needy.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Aww, how come? Bad dreams again?**

It was another thing. She knew so much about him – like telling her was always easy. His bad dreams, his moods, his eating habits or favourite movies. They talked about these things without borders.

He knew she liked red colour. She usually fell asleep after an hour of staring into the wall. That music helped her to relax when she couldn’t catch a shut eye during a restless night. That one thing she loved about the new city she moved in was the rain, since in her previous homeland it was raining only rarely.

He knew a lot. Yet it wasn’t enough.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Kind of, yeah.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: :( Is there anything I can do for you?**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Probably not, but thank you for the offer.**

Cutting her off like this felt wrong.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Okay. But definitely tell me if there would be anything I can do. I hate to see you this down.**

Perceptive as ever.

He smiled fondly at the screen and it felt a little stupid when he tried to picture her having a worried face. There wasn’t anything to go by – he had no idea what colour would be her hair or her skin, so only the picture of her game toon was in his mind and that stopped being enough.

Ask for a picture seemed wrong though, so he shook the idea off. Especially now when her friend was over.

Did he know about them?

Well, _them_. There was no _them_. There was only this – online friendship. Nothing special about it, right?

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Thank you, Eve.**

It was a weird thing – the sudden inability to write smileys, even though it wasn’t anything he needed to show on his face. But it was like the emoticon at the end of the sentence was connected to his mood and he couldn’t bring himself to write it no matter how hard he tried, it simply felt wrong.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: <3**

“I need a break,” he took a deep breath and logged off the game. He seriously needed some fresh air – maybe a trip to the shop would be the best thing to do right now, to clear his head.

***

_The trip_ lasted for three hours and Cullen felt spent when he arrived back home, sweaty and tired and aching. The grocery shopping as he planned got side tracked when he met Samson on the way, and as much as he had few unresolved issues with the man, he still had to admit Samson could reshape the anger into a challenge. So Cullen accepted it and they spent the time with running and workouts they used to do together in the past, before Samson let himself go.

He got better now, Cullen had to admit. He even looked healthier, although quite scruffy. He worked hard on getting out of all the drug addictions and alcohol loving – he reached the bottom and that must have motivated him to scramble back to the higher position. Or maybe it was the simple fact he managed to drive off all his friends.

Hell, even Cullen, and they used to be good mates before it all started to go to hell. But as much as people were trying to help, he just lashed out on all of them, and there was as much as they could do.

It was good to see him back on the line, but the barrier between them stayed. Cullen still had a respect for him, at least for what he was doing _now_ , and liked it or not it helped him to clear his head a lot.

When Samson offered to go grab something to eat, he politely declined though and went straight home. It didn’t look like it made Samson surprised, since he just waved him off with a small smile and disappeared in the crowd on the city square.

Cullen spent another twenty minutes under the shower, washing off the sweat and the ache in his legs. It was fairly long since he actually worked out like this, and his body felt the strain immediately. But with good enough repetition he was sure the ache would disappear completely.

When he stopped at the mirror, staring at the reflection for a while, it made him sigh in defeat. Yeah, he definitely lost too much weight over the time from the fire. His sister was right, as much as he liked to oppose. His ribs were starting to show and he felt _smaller_ and definitely weaker.

An insistent beep of his phone returned him back from the self-pity (as Mia would call it) and he realized he left the device home. It took him a moment before he found it, but another beep helped him to locate it faster once he reached his bedroom.

There was one missed call from Cassandra. One text from her, saying something about a pub time tonight – apparently Varric’s idea, since she added a very disinterested looking emoticon to it, and he had to laugh. He replied immediately with an apology for not picking up her call and sorry for not coming to the party.

**Cassandra – 12:11 –**

**Thought so.**

  “Of course you did,” Cullen smirked and sat on the bed while opening another unread message, where his heart skipped a beat.

  _Evelyn._

  **Evelyn – 9:01 –**

**Did something happen? You logged off so abruptly.**

**Evelyn – 9:20 –**

**Cullen?**

**Evelyn – 11:24 –**

**Oh god, please respond. Did something happen? Are you alright?**

**Evelyn – 12:04 –**

**Or are you angry? Did I mess up?**

**Evelyn – 12:06 –**

**I messed up, didn’t I.**

**Evelyn – 12:08 –**

**Okay, um. Radio silence then. Sorry for being so insistent, just… please let me know you’re okay at least?**

“God fucking dammit!”

He held the phone in his hand like just staring at it could help him erase the whole threat – and probably time as well – to not let her worry so much over his own stupidity. He left without thinking and this was the result, exactly what he didn’t want to happen.

**Cullen – 12:14 –**

**Damn, sorry. I’ve left my phone at home and went out. I’m so sorry to make you this worried.**

**Evelyn – 12:14 –**

**Oh thank god, I really thought… >.<**

**Cullen – 12:15 –**

**I’m terribly sorry.**

**Evelyn – 12:16 –**

**No, it’s really fine, please don’t worry about it. I was just worried because you were in a bed mood in the morning and then you disappeared and didn’t answer.**

**Evelyn – 12:17 –**

**OMFG, *bad* mood, asldjfdlfjdlf, please ignore the previous text for the sake of my dignity.**

He almost choked when he re-read the text and he couldn’t even reply for how much he was laughing.

 

**Cullen – 12:20 –**

***Bed* mood sounds like something I’m in now, tbh, but a good one :)**

**Evelyn – 12:21 –**

**Welp.**

**Evelyn – 12:21 –**

**I can’t believe I’ve written it. It’s almost bad as *abou tit*.**

**Cullen – 12:23 –**

**I tend to write that one too, but usually catch myself in time. Hard to explain :)**

**Evelyn – 12:24 –**

**Very much so :D**

**Evelyn – 12:25 –**

**So how come you’re in a *bed* mood? So early today too.**

**Evelyn – 12:26 –**

**Unless you meant it the dirty way :o**

**Cullen – 12:27 –**

**I meant it in a tired, sleepy way. Surprisingly :P**

**Evelyn – 12:28 –**

**Suuuuuuuuuure.**

**Cullen – 12:30 –**

**Lol. You’re the naughty one, not me :P**

**Evelyn – 12:31 –**

**Or maybe you’re actually thinking of something very, very bad right now, while imagining a hot actress with you there :o**

**Cullen – 12:32 –**

**Excuse me. I’m an independent person; I alone am hot enough for a fulfilling fantasy.**

He snorted out loud, almost dropping the phone. He could maybe scare people off with his present visage, especially when he saw himself in the mirror, the thin, blond nothing with stubble.

 

**Evelyn – 12:33 –**

**What!**

**Evelyn – 12:34 –**

**Prove it!**

He stared at the phone for a while, wondering how to reply to that. It would be bold to send his own photo – very bold and definitely unwelcomed. He considered googling a Val Royeaux noble with a ridiculous mask for a moment and sending it to her, but since she knew he was not from Orlais, it would lose the fun of it. He contemplated it for a while, and then snapped a picture of his feet in the bed, sending it as an attachment with a snicker.

 

**Cullen – 12:37 –**

**\- 1 Attachment –**

**Cullen – 12:38 –**

**These are definitely in a *bed* mood, hurting as hell. And ofc hot enough.**

It took only a short moment before his phone was beeping with a received photo as well, which made him unreasonably giddy. It was stupid, wasn’t it. Sending her such an idiotic thing, why did he even think it could be a good idea? She was probably sending him a picture of flipping him off or something.

 

**Evelyn – 12:40 –**

**\- 1 Attachment -**

**Evelyn – 12:41 –**

**Mine are rested and ready to kick :P**

He almost choked again when her photo included apparently her own feet, resting peacefully on purple and white sheets, her nails painted brightly red. She seemed to be really pale and thin and just… soft.

The first thing Cullen thought was _small_. He wondered if she was ticklish?

 

**Cullen – 12:43 –**

**Are you ticklish?**

**Evelyn – 12:44 –**

**Trade secret ;)**

**Cullen – 12:45 –**

**For what?**

**Evelyn – 12:46 –**

**Are YOU ticklish?**

**Cullen – 12:47 –**

**I asked first :P But no, I’m not.**

**Evelyn – 12:48 –**

**Hmmm…. Not sure if I trust you. I should probably check :P**

**Cullen – 12:49 –**

**You probably should :P**

He stopped right after he hit send and took a deep breath. He was getting too out of hand. He needed to stop himself before he would ask her for a meeting and freak her out. He could feel he was close to it – as always losing borders when talking to her. It wasn’t weird for them to talk about such topics, or sending photos of their feet – albeit it probably should have. But no, it was exactly their style and he felt like losing himself in it again.

 

**Cullen – 12:50 –**

**Are you still in-game?**

**Evelyn – 12:50 –**

**Yeah. Wanna play for a bit? :)**

**Cullen – 12:51 –**

**No strength, maybe later. Was just wondering.**

**Evelyn – 12:52 –**

**Alright. Feel free to hit me up if you’d change your mind :)**

**Cullen – 12:53 –**

**Will do :)**

**Evelyn – 12:54 –**

**Also.**

**Cullen – 12:55 –**

**Hm?**

**Evelyn – 12:56 –**

**I’m not ticklish either. But I may be lying.**

He chuckled and rubbed his eyes. He was so damn done for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Sorry for taking so long with continuation, I wanted to get at least one project off before this one QQ  
> Anyway! Feet :D


	10. Festive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ”What have you even been doing all day here?” she asked with a frown, but still took one piece as well, the sweetness making her more relaxed.   
> “Playing,” Dorian pointed at his notebook. “I think Necromancers are quite impressive.”  
> “Are they,” she smirked at him, disappearing in the bedroom to change into something more homey.   
> “Your boyfriend doesn’t really agree,” came a jab and she almost tripped over her feet.

“Are you planning anything on Christmas this year, my dear Eve?”

Eve almost choked on her biscuit when Florianne talked to her so damn casually in the office. She learned to ignore the woman profusely over the past of these months, and they rarely spoke to each other more than with just a greeting and goodbye. A sudden interest from her side was seriously something to be afraid of and Eve was pretty sure Florianne waited until she was eating so she could choke her without touching her.

“Not really?” she answered with a question, glancing at the Orlesian woman shortly. “Just maybe eat, you know. Watching nice Christmas movies.”

Although she didn’t have TV still.

“Oh yes, the time of weight gaining,” Florianne sighed dramatically. “Maybe you’ll get nice new clothes, one or two sizes bigger as a present with such plan.”

Eve’s eyes narrowed, but she refused to react on it. Florianne changed tactics during this week – she stopped saying Eve was terribly clothed, but instead that she was gaining weight in a lightning speed. _I’m sure the skirt was looser when you started working here, hungry much?_

She rather got back to her biscuits, drowning them with tea, and then returned to work so she could run away early again. Today the office smelled like lavender – which would be kind of nice, if the amount wasn’t suffocating – and Florianne was renewing the smell every time she thought it was going off.

Eve was pretty sure she was doing it on purpose and not just because she liked it. With this her sense of smell had to be already dulled to zero, and Eve’s along with it.

**Evelyn – 13:32 –**

**Got called fat again. Seriously. Am I fat?**

**Dorian – 13:35 –**

**Your hips are as narrow as if you were a boy, sorora.**

**Evelyn – 13:36 –**

**Rude.**

**Dorian – 13:37 –**

**Quite the opposite, you’re slim and very attractive young tomboy.**

**Evelyn – 13:38 –**

**Okay, being called fat is probably better than being called a curve-less boy >.>**

**Dorian – 13:39 –**

**You wound me ;)**

**Evelyn – 13:40 –**

**Ugh.**

She still checked herself in every reflection when she was walking home though. Damn Florianne.

***

“Tell her there is more to love,” Dorian suggested when he was handing her a nicely wrapped box full of sweets. He had this Cheshire cat smile on his lips and Evelyn hated him, because he knew she was going to take it, no matter what kind of nonsense was her co-worker spouting. She was pretty sure he went and bought it right after their text conversation, just to make a point.

“And take this with you tomorrow. Or you know… the other box, since I guess this one will get eaten anyway.”

“Funny,” she stuck her tongue at him and Dorian only laughed and plucked one of the chocolates out of the package, humming appraisingly.

“Gotta admit that Fereldans can make a good chocolate,” he commented happily and she watched him with narrowed eyes until he sat on the couch to his notebook.

”What have you even been doing all day here?” she asked with a frown, but still took one piece as well, the sweetness making her more relaxed.

“Playing,” Dorian pointed at his notebook. “I think Necromancers are quite impressive.”

“Are they,” she smirked at him, disappearing in the bedroom to change into something more homey.

“Your boyfriend doesn’t really agree,” came a jab and she almost tripped over her feet.

“You talked to Cullen?” she called back and quickly scrambled for her phone. It was quiet, there was no message from the man, and she wondered if it was still connected to the Sunday’s bad mood he had. He wasn’t online on Monday and on Tuesday he just stopped by, so it felt rather lonely. It was a strange thing with him, like she got to know another side of him he was apparently trying to hide, but failed.

Or maybe she was just imagining things.

“Yes, he logged in about half an hour ago,” Dorian agreed, sounding suspiciously content. “He’s quite a chat, if you ask me. Also jealous.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she rolled her eyes while she put on her favourite baggy t-shirt. One thing with knowing Dorian so long was the zero care what she wore in front of him – he always commented on it, of course, fashion police and all, and she always just smiled sweetly at him and never changed.

“Me? I strive to be _festive_ , not ridiculous,” he answered right the moment she left the bedroom with her notebook under her arm. “And I recognize the signs. Especially when I kept on pressing him.”

“ _Pressing him_ ,” she repeated with wide eyes and then her face turned into an unhappy scowl. “What have you told him?”

“Nothing much,” Dorian shrugged and wrote something down. She was afraid it was still prior to the Cullen conversation and it made her seriously uneasy. Dorian was lovable, but he was also a master of manipulation, and when he didn’t like somebody, he was able to get very, very nasty.

“Dorian,” she stared at him warningly and he gave her a smile.

“Was just saying,” he made a vague gesture. “That sharing a flat with a girl is like walking into a changing room where girls have no shame.”

“You told him I’m going around _naked_?!”

“Not naked,” he shrugged again like it was no big deal. “Just you know. Maybe in underwear or a towel or something…”

“Oh god, _why_?” she sat next to him, her hands ready to squeeze him around his neck and choke him to death. Cullen definitely didn’t need to be a victim of Dorian’s schemes, she was doing a favour to humanity.

“I just wanted him to react somehow,” Dorian nodded towards his laptop where his toon was masquerading around the guild base in the most fancy clothes he found and the chat log in the left corner was filled with whispers. “He’s amusing. At first I’ve expected him to ask for sneak peaks – guys usually do that. Or just ask for information.”

“And?” she dreaded the answer and refused to look at the actual chat. He was seriously going to be a death of her.

“ _You should give her privacy_ , that’s what he said,” Dorian chuckled. “ _Friend or not, it’s her home._ ”

“Oh.”

“He likes you, but he’s that kind of proper guy you normally never meet that wouldn’t push you into anything, no matter how he wants to,” Dorian concluded with a hum. “I like him.”

“ _You_ like him?” she eyed him with suspicion and Dorian took her around her shoulders and shook her a little.

“ _We_ like him,” he grinned at her and Eve had to agree. She definitely liked Cullen a lot.

And it scared her.

***

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Come run Adamant Fortress with us?**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Who’s *us*? Have you decided to call yourself *we*? :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Naturally. We are superior.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Mmm, yes, of course :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: But I meant me, Night and your festive friend.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Oh? He really did level up a lot without me being there, huh.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Quite a lot, yeah. Seems like he has fun.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Alright, count me in.**

A squad invite flashed on her screen and she accepted with a smile, hearing Dorian cheer from the couch.

“Have I told you about that Qunari guy?”

“What Qunari guy?” she raised an eyebrow while she ported to the instance where others waited for her. Nightingale immediately asked her about chocolate and she was sure Dorian had been talking. She glared in his direction, but he wasn’t looking at her, only smirking slightly.

“Well, there’s this guy,” he answered to the previous question with ease. “He keeps on bothering me with sexist’s remarks, it’s remarkable.”

“He bothers you with being nasty and it’s _remarkable_ for you?” she raised an eyebrow at him and Dorian let out a sigh.

“He’s seriously obnoxious,” he gave her a short glance over his notebook. “So full of himself it’s just completely fascinating.”

“ _How_ is that fascinating?” she shook her head, trying to understand. Dorian was always an _alpha_ male, he had to be in charge of everything – especially of conversations – and if there was somebody being like he just described, she really didn’t think it would be a nice experience for him. Or a pleasant one.

“That he’s really vexing me,” came a reply she finally expected more than the rest. “And I have no idea how to get rid of him.”

“Block him,” she shrugged and Dorian let out another sigh.

“That’s the thing. Not sure I want to.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“He helped few times,” Dorian mumbled as in deep in thought. “For some reason it’s interesting to talk to him, until he starts with double meaning remarks.”

“You have double meaning remarks all the time,” she pointed out and watched how her squad started the siege on the Adamant Fortress. Cullen almost didn’t need healing, as always.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: For a bucket head you have some pretty nice moves ;)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: It’s a lion, you minx :P**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: <3**

“But mine are sophisticated and clever,” Dorian opposed like it was super obvious and she laughed quietly.

“I’m sure he thinks so too.”

“I’m sure he rarely thinks,” came a reply and it sounded a little pouty, which made her laugh even more. You could never get bored with Dorian, which was a fact. And if the _Qunari_ learned fairly fast how to get on the high horse with him, it promised an endless fun with it.

**[Squad][Altus]: Do you always just play the back drums, Rosie?**

**[Squad][Rosecult]: It has the best view.**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: Wait until she will play bongos, then it’s fun ;)**

**[Squad][Altus]: Whose bongos?**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: Oh my god.**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: Mainly Commander’s bongos :-***

**[Squad][Rosecult]: I haven’t played his bongos :o**

**[Squad][Rosecult]: Yet :D**

**[Squad][Lion_Commander]: >.<**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Don’t feed the trolls :P**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: But it’s fun!**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Night is already pretty much unavoidable at work and she always had those smart remarks. I think she is planning a wedding already.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Awww, how sweet of her. I hope she will talk to me about the dress.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: No, she won’t, because she never does. You’ll end up with a bucket on your head.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: It’s fine, we will match :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You’ll be the death of me.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Don’t worry, there are worse things than me :P**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You’re the best thing though.**

She blinked, her breath hitching. Why was her heart beating so damn fast? Just over a simple sentence. He didn’t even need to mean it that way – being polite or just to shut her up, or overly nice, because that’s who Cullen was.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: You’re my best thing too.**

Her fingers tingled when she answered and she was glad Dorian was too captivated by the game to notice her cheeks turned tomato red.

_I’m so damn hopeless._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> I just love Dorian, asdlfjdlfjdl. Also, can somebody fetch me one Cullen please? T^T


	11. Bets And Calls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Nothing important,” Cassandra saved him from another wave of mortification and he sent her a grateful smile. “And if you’re planning to hang mistletoes all around the base again, Leliana, then I’m personally biting off every heel on your shoes.”  
> “But Cass!” the redhead gasped in faked shock. “Mistletoes are half of the fun! Maybe even more than that, you can’t that away from us!”  
> “I’ll gladly keep it away from me,” she uttered dryly and Cullen chuckled. Getting smooched several times in twenty minutes was definitely something for Cassandra’s attitude, he knew.

“You took three long shifts in a row and you want another? Is everything alright?”

Cullen rubbed his eyes and nodded quietly. He appreciated Cassandra’s concern, even though she watched him more with suspicion than actual worry. Telling her _why_ was stupid though, even to his own ears. He just thought that maybe if he stayed out of the game for a bit, it would help.

It didn’t.

The absence only made him think of her stronger. Every word she wrote to him suddenly seemed deeper, with more meaning, and he had to stop himself several times already from asking her for a picture, because he just craved to _know_. He wanted to see her, he wanted to hear her, and the more he spent talking with her, the more prominent that urge became.

“Something happened with Rosecult?”

He blinked, not expecting the question – not from Cass at least.

“Um,” he voiced with uncertainty. “No?”

“Just asking,” she waved her hand and sat down next to him on the bench. It meant she was not letting him go out of the hook now, and he was pretty sure she caught that habit from Leliana. If habits were contagious, that is. “Since normally you were rushing home. You’re acting like something exploded during the weekend.”

“I assure you-,”

“Cullen, I know you for _years_ ,” she stopped his lame argument with a frown. “What’s wrong?”

“You wouldn’t really understand,” he mumbled and she seemed taken back. “No offence.”

“Is it some quantum physic theory I wouldn’t be able to take in as an amateur?” she asked a little sharply and he immediately felt bad for saying that to her. It wasn’t like Cass was a robot or unable to understand people falling in love – he just didn’t know if she considered falling in love over the internet an actual _thing_. Many friends or just acquaintances around him thought the same – if you never saw the person, if there wasn’t anything physical, you just couldn’t fall in love - that would be impossible. And if you did, okay, if you actually did fancy the person’s character, what if you met them and realized it wasn’t what you were looking for? What if your internet sweetheart turned out to be somebody you found physically repulsive?

And fine, of course, Cullen understood those arguments, they had a point, but if anything, he was willing to try. If it meant to get disappointed in a love field, staying friends was always the best option. And quite frankly, he wasn’t even afraid about him not liking the other, more like about the other not really fancying him. At that point the pining seemed to be a very painful occurrence.

“No,” he bowed his head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to assume anything.”

She didn’t react, she only kept her gaze evened and Cullen knew she was waiting for an explanation.

“Yes, it’s about Rosecult,” he admitted quietly. “But it’s nothing bad. I thought cutting the gaming off for a bit would help me to stop.”

“With?”

“Wanting to meet her,” he sighed, rather not even looking at his colleague. He stared at the locker instead and the words were coming out so slow he was wondering when her patience was going to run out. “Because she’s great and I’m absolutely hopeless.”

“Well,” Cass said thoughtfully. “I owe Leliana money.”

“You didn’t.”

“I sort of did,” she shrugged at his horrified expression. “I didn’t want to, mind you. But she presented very interesting proofs and when even Varric gave her money-,”

“Varric bet on me too?” he groaned in mortification. “He doesn’t even know her! Or anything about this, how could he bet?”

“You underestimate the gossip flow here, Cullen,” Cassandra patted him on his shoulder to console him, but it seriously didn’t work. “I’m pretty sure he knows more than I do.”

“I can’t believe you actually bet on me,” he hid his face into his hands and when he felt Cassandra standing up, he wondered how much pain he would have to endure if he asked her to team up on Leliana with him.

Maybe it would only be salty coffee forever.

“But,” she said halfway from the door, turning back to Cullen. “At least you know how it looks to us. Imagine how it does to Rose?”

“Imagine me asking her out and her saying no,” Cullen shook his head. “I mean, it’s all good, an answer is an answer, but I don’t want to disrupt what we have. What if she would refuse to talk to me again?”

“You and me are probably not playing the same game,” Cass rolled her eyes. “Cullen, as much as I respect you, sometimes you’re probably worse in acknowledging these things than me.”

“I probably am,” he admitted with a quiet laugh and she smirked and left the changing room, leaving him there alone.

“I can’t believe you crazy bunch actually bet on me,” he muttered and shook his head. He must have been really sad to look at, so he probably shouldn’t have blamed them for it.

_But even Varric…_

***

“So, about the Christmas party,” he watched Leliana walk around the table in her high heels, and Varric was grinning at him from another side of the desk. Cassandra seemed quite disinterested and Alistair was probably daydreaming about his pregnant wife, judging from his absolutely blissed out expression.

“That’s still a month away,” Cullen pointed out. “Is this really necessary?”

“Don’t be bitter,” she smirked at him. “We will buy you something nice from the bet money.”

“Please don’t talk anymore.”

“Too bad, there is the Christmas party I want to talk about,” she shrugged and Cullen felt like the salty coffee would be much nicer now. Especially with Varric’s happy smile aimed at him.

“What bet money?” Alistair apparently woke up at the worst time possible and Cullen felt his throat tighten. Not Alistar too! “What did I miss?”

“Nothing important,” Cassandra saved him from another wave of mortification and he sent her a grateful smile. “And if you’re planning to hang mistletoes all around the base again, Leliana, then I’m personally biting off every heel on your shoes.”

“But Cass!” the redhead gasped in faked shock. “Mistletoes are half of the fun! Maybe even more than that, you can’t that away from us!”

“I’ll gladly keep it away from _me_ ,” she uttered dryly and Cullen chuckled. Getting smooched several times in twenty minutes was definitely something for Cassandra’s attitude, he knew.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Varric exclaimed in rebuke and Cullen could hear Cassandra grunting in disgust as expected. Sometimes he thought this guy seriously played with fire. “I fully support it. Want to vote it out, Leliana?”

“No need,” Leliana smiled sweetly, especially at Cass. “It’s going to happen anyway. I was thinking on 23rd, around six, here? As per usual.”

“Fine by me,” Alistair concluded with a yawn. “Although I may have to leave earlier, you know how pregnant women are.”

“Thankfully not,” Varric smirked. “But we believe every word you say, so basically we already know.”

“Oh yes, gossip flow,” Cullen chimed in and wasn’t even surprised when Leliana winked at him again. Sometimes he seriously hated his job. Judging from Cassandra’s unhappy expression she thought the same.

***

**Evelyn – 18:44 –**

**Long shift again?**

Cullen stared at the message for about ten minutes now without replying. If he asked her – if he really gathered all his courage and asked her for something more, for… for picture maybe – a personal meeting would be too straightforward, wouldn’t it – would she say yes? And what if she wouldn’t? What if it offended her and she would leave the game, or the alliance, or basically Cullen in terms of speaking altogether? What if he was too greedy?

He should have been much happier with what he had now, right? Why pushing it. There was no real sign from her she would want more. She was still her fun, smart self, occasionally flirting – but that was what they always did – caring and just so damn adorable.

He fiddled with the phone absentmindedly, his finger hovering above the reply button, but he just didn’t know what to say. Well, he would say yes, because that would be an answer to her question, but then… nothing.

**Cullen – 18:57 –**

**Yeah, long shift again.**

_Lame._

**Evelyn – 18:58 –**

**Cullen, is something the matter? I mean, lately you’re just… cold? Have I done something?**

“Damn,” he breathed out. He definitely didn’t want her to think he stopped liking talking to her or anything, not a damn chance. Why was he so awkward in those things? Mia should have given him some lectures in it – or even her husband, although talking to him was usually a little uneventful.

**Cullen – 18:59 –**

**Of course not! God, I’m sorry.**

**Evelyn – 19:00 –**

**Then what’s the matter? Is there something wrong at work that you need to stay late and all?**

**Evelyn – 19:01 –**

**I mean I know you always have to stay one or two days per week, but this is already fourth day in a row, so if there is something bad happening…**

**Evelyn – 19:02 –**

**Oh god, I’m sounding like a naggy wife, am I not? Sorry >.< I just thought it’s unusual, but then again it’s not like you need to tell me anything, so maybe it’s just something you didn’t share because it’s not my business, which I completely understand.**

The flood of her words continued and Cullen felt the fondness in his chest expand almost painfully. She cared about him. She was worried and she wanted to know, but again worried about wanting that, and it seemed like he was reading his own words, just in a different situation. The awkward, clumsy attempt to convey the message that she cared a lot, and it meant so much he almost couldn’t breathe.

His hands shook when he was replying, and his heart was hammering in his chest like crazy. Had he ever felt like this before? With somebody else? Even when actually dating, this never really occurred, and it was eerie, but in a completely awesome way.

**Cullen – 19:05 –**

**Can I call you?**

He saw her typing and waited. It was bold, of course it was. It was probably out of the line as well. But at that moment he just _wanted_ to hear her, if her voice matched her panicked writing, and if _no_ was coming, then he at least gave it a shot.

**Evelyn – 19:07 –**

**Yes.**

He stared at the answer for another minute and then took a deep breath. Yes meant go on, so he pressed the call button. It rang for a moment, like she didn’t want to pick up, but then finally the line clicked and he could hear the noise of doors closing from the other side.

“Sorry, hi, I had to run away from the room or Dorian would perch on the table like a vulture and leer.”

Cullen almost choked. The voice was smooth and very pleasant, almost impossibly young sounding. If he didn’t know Eve was already over twenty, he would say maybe fifteen, with how carefree it seemed. There was a hint of Free Marches accent as well and he wondered if that was where she got born, or where she moved.

“I’m sorry, Dorian on a table?” he repeated with a chuckle and could hear how she cleared her throat on the other side.

“Yeah, you know,” she responded with a nervous laughter. “Altus. Is Dorian. Not a pet. Although sometimes I think he’s a cat, but that expensive one with lots of hair you have everywhere.”

She was amazing. She was completely, absolutely, undoubtedly amazing. He could feel he would be able to listen to her for _hours_ without needing to say a single word.

“Sounds like lots of work to clean it up after him then,” he joked back and he was impossibly relaxed. He should have been pent up and nervous, but it just seemed so natural he could barely comprehend.

“You have no idea,” she laughed and Cullen felt his lips widening in a stupid smile. _Perfect._

“Probably, never had a cat,” he agreed with her easily and she cleared her throat again. “Are you nervous?”

“You joking?” she barked out a laugh and then groaned. “I’m on verge of being hysterical.”

“I‘m sorry,” he couldn’t help but smirk at it. “I just wanted to hear you.”

“You just wanted to hear me,” she repeated like she was trying how it sounded and he waited patiently for her to draw a conclusion. “That’s what you do when working late? Calling girls for hook ups?”

“I usually order take outs,” he stood up and walked slowly towards the window in the office. It was dark and just few stars were blinking in the distance, and for a while he thought he was perfectly content like this.

“Filthy lies,” she chuckled and it sounded less strained now, like she was getting used to it. He wondered why he wasn’t like her now too? Was he beyond redemption? “But really. Problems at work?”

“No,” he refused and turned away from the window, leaning against the wall next to it. “I just wanted to stay late.”

“You _wanted_ to stay late?” she sounded surprised.

“Yeah. Clear my head and all,” he shrugged even though she couldn’t see it. “You sound impossibly young, do you know that?”

“You sound like you haven’t been sleeping for a week and worked as a stripper.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he snorted at it and she sighed.

“Like…” she tried with a hum. “Like nice. Really nice.”

“That’s the stripper part, I assume,” he teased her fondly and she made a noise on the other side, probably as an affirmation. “But I thought they were paid for the looks and moves, not for voices.”

“Then those phone sex callers,” she gave him another variation and it made him almost choke. “Where you just pay and listen to them making obscene noises.”

“I don’t sound like _that_!” he refused the claim and she giggled, apparently leading him on because she could, and because he deserved it.

“Whatever you say,” she chirped sweetly and if he ever had doubts this was really _his_ Evelyn, this would disperse it easily. She was completely _amazing_.

“You’re completely amazing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> I'm on a roll today and instead of being happy to have a chapter I can post tomorrow without needing to write again, I post it xD Where did the patience go....


	12. An Update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This is not just an update, Lamerald,” he was definitely grinning, she could tell. “This is motherfucking expansion and it’s going to rock!”  
> “Are they adding new classes?” she sighed and sat down at the table. Dorian put a plate with food in front of her and she smiled at him gratefully.   
> “No, something better,” he chimed happily and she pointed at Dorian’s laptop, asking for permission to use it. The man nodded, so she dragged it closer and found the official site of the game.   
> “Adding new storyline,” she read out loud. “That’s what you’re so hyped about?”

_You are completely amazing._

Eve couldn’t sleep. She couldn’t really concentrate at work. She felt like somebody dumped her into a sinful sweetness she couldn’t get out of.

Florianne was watching her by the corner of her eye like she killed somebody and Evelyn wondered if it was because that stupid smile of hers she couldn’t get rid of, or if it was because today she wore Dorian’s choice of clothes and probably looked like she was part of a mafia – with black and white combination, only with red details in it, like fresh blood.

She didn’t care though. She didn’t even mind the lavender overdose that floated in their office.

Cullen was absolutely disarming. His voice sounded rich and deep and seriously kind of sleepy when he called, and he was funny and smart and everything she secretly hoped for him to be like. When his voice dropped lower, almost to a whisper, she caught herself holding her breath and listening like possessed.

And then he dropped the bomb and Eve didn’t even know how their conversation ended, because she was unable to think. But yes, it ended somehow, probably with her saying good night or something equally stupid at 8 PM, and then dug under her blankets and stayed there, not even telling Dorian what happened.

He would have laughed anyway.

She had a terrible crush on that guy. She had a crush by size of the whole Thedas on that damn guy. And she didn’t even know how he looked like. She knew how he sounded (so, so nice), how he talked (fun, clever), but that was about it.

Her mother would _rage_ if she knew that. Hell, even her father would – they would probably lock her in a tower and leave her there to grow out her hair and use it as a rope for somebody to climb on (Cullen please). She wasn’t even sure what Dorian would say – yes, he displayed an evident liking to the man, but that was via game. She had a feeling he didn’t believe she would be able to move it forward, to maybe ask him for meeting her or… or something, right?

No, no courage for that. What if he wouldn’t like how she looked like? What if she was going to be a major disappointment for him? After all she was nothing really special. She wasn’t like her mum – elegant, decent and always chic. She wasn’t like Josephine, graceful and very, very captivating with her mocha skin and hypnotic eyes. Hell, she wasn’t even like Isabella (oh god, nothing like Isabella, Isabella was a queen, a hurricane, an addicting drug).

She was just this. A pale, red haired, small and thin – or maybe not thin, judging from Florianne’s comments – with tendency not to get out of her pyjamas on the weekends, with unruly hair and cup of tea. What if he liked blondes? What if there wouldn’t be anything bad about her appearance for him, but somehow nothing would actually click together? Like… her perfume would piss him off or the way she walked or the way she laughed and her eyes cringed, and…

“Are you going to space out for the rest of the day?”

Eve blinked, the illusion of actually meeting him in thousand scenarios of what could go wrong shattering under Florianne’s sharp voice. She apparently left the office at some point and just got back to see Eve in the same position, with the same dumb smile, and for once she gave her kudos for having the right to call her out on it.

“Sorry,” she mumbled and focused back at her work.

Five more hours.

***

“There is a new expansion coming out!”

“Why are you shouting?” she cringed at Hawke’s voice and only heard laughter from the other side of the line.

She wouldn’t lie, when her phone rang, she hoped it was Cullen and almost killed herself from running to pick it up. Dorian watched her with amusement all the time from the stove where he was cooking (it smelled delicious and her stomach was rumbling).

“Because the new expansion is coming out!” Hawke repeated even louder and she groaned.

“That’s nice and all, but since when you’re so hyped about an update?” she walked back to the kitchen and rolled her eyes at Dorian to show him how happy she was from the entire ruckus. Dorian only smirked and poured olive oil into the salad.

“This is not _just_ an update, Lamerald,” he was definitely grinning, she could tell. “This is motherfucking expansion and it’s going to rock!”

“Are they adding new classes?” she sighed and sat down at the table. Dorian put a plate with food in front of her and she smiled at him gratefully.

“No, something better,” he chimed happily and she pointed at Dorian’s laptop, asking for permission to use it. The man nodded, so she dragged it closer and found the official site of the game.

“Adding new storyline,” she read out loud. “That’s what you’re so hyped about?”

“That’s what’s opening new possibilities,” Hawke responded and there was rustling from his side, like he was searching for something. “I believe new subclasses or something. Or maybe new government, like, new Divine or something, it’s going to change so much!”

“Aaaaalright,” she drawled and closed the site again. “In a week then.”

“In a week!” Hawke agreed and she heard another voice somewhere in the distance. “Yep, coming – okay, talk to you later, Trevelyan, cheers!”

Before she could answer, he hung up.

“He’s crazy,” she concluded when Dorian sat down on the chair with his own plate. “I swear to god, he is.”

“Aren’t we all,” the Tevinter smiled at her and started eating.

It was delicious.

***

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: Yes, I read about it, but I’m not entirely sure what’s going to happen exactly.**

**[Alliance][Harding]: They mentioned change in hierarchy, so I suppose there is going to be new Divine or maybe they will push the Chantry back.**

**[Alliance][Fen’Harel]: Technically speaking there are already had been rebellions during events, especially from the mages. Maybe we can expect something about that too.**

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: That would be rather exciting!**

**[Alliance][Wildcard]: whats exciting about bunch of fireworks shooting each other arses**

**[Alliance][Fen’Harel]: The effects.**

**[Alliance][Wildcard]: youre the effect**

**[Alliance][Fen’Harel]: Naturally.**

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: We have a week to prepare for it ;)**

Eve hummed, reading through the scarce information the game gave them on their websites. It was really kind of vague and mystifying, so she couldn’t tell how big changes there would be. Not to mention it was the first expansion this game had, and that always meant complications. If they added new classes, those tended to be super overpowered and the gameplay suffered with them. Rarely any game was able to balance it right from the start, usually it was a big powerful boom and then slight nerfing after.

But it didn’t mention anything about new classes or anything, so maybe there really was only going to be a story altering, opening new possibilities for them – and the alliances.

Lion_Commander logged in.

She almost overlooked that simple message and her heart skipped a beat. He was home early today, which made her a tad happier. Not that phoning with him in the evening was bad. She would totally do that again – but didn’t really know how to ask. It would be pretty needy if she started demanding it all the time, right?

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: So what’s your professional opinion on the expansion, Commander?**

**[Alliance][Lion_Commander]: Hello and… no idea? I mean the information is so vague, I don’t know what to imagine under it.**

**[Alliance][Wildcard]: fireworks**

**[Alliance][Lion_Commander]: That’s one way to put it.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Hi, kiddo :)**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Kiddo? Rude.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: After yesterday I can’t possibly believe you’re an adult, sorry :P**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Whatever you say, you phone sex caller :P**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Ha! Funny.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I try :P**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I meant to thank you, actually. Not for the stripper reference though, or the phone sex caller. And also I’m sorry if I seemed cold during these past few days.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: It’s fine, just dance around the pole and everything is forgiven :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I do that only on Wednesdays at 5 PM, sorry. I can’t break my schedule.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: In the name of love!**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Love can’t pay rent.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: But your dancing around the pole can? Oooooh.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Of course, I’m already a multimillionaire thanks to that hobby ;)**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: How crafty :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Always.**

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: Shall we do raid in the Fade before the expansion comes? So Rose knows how it is and all.**

**[Alliance][Lion_Commander]: Not a bad idea. You up for it?**

**[Alliance][Rosecult]: How big are raids in this game?**

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: 30 peeps I 3 full parties. It’s a massive thing and your fps drops like shit :D**

**[Alliance][Rosecult]: Something to look forward to >.<**

**[Alliance][Lion_Commander]: It’s not that bad :)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: You’ll do great, dw. If you want, watch a vid before for mechanics, but there are not much of them in the Fade. It’s usually just really foggy and really creepy and you see what’s coming at you so you can dodge.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: If not, I’m going to blame you.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I can deal with that :P**

“Wanna go for a raid?” she called at Dorian and after a second the man appeared in her bedroom, giving her a raised eyebrow.

“The game raid I guess? Not a bank one,” he commented and she smirked.

“The game one, smartass,” she pointed at her laptop. “I’ve never been there but Cullen said it’s easy.”

“Mmmmkay,” he disappeared again and returned with his own laptop to sit next to her on her bed. It seemed like old times with them playing their first MMO, seated in Eve’s room while her parents were at least content she was not up to mischief. Although with Dorian it could have been both. From the smile he had on his lips even he felt the nostalgia and when she nudged his shoulder, he winked at her and logged in the game.

**[Alliance][Rosecult]: Okay, I’m in. Altus is coming too.**

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: Great! I’ll start the squad ^^**

*******

“Oh god.”

She glanced at Dorian when the que popped in and the rest of the missing people in their squad got filled by randoms, along with two more parties ready for the raid. It ported them right into the Fade, and the place seemed seriously creepy right from the start. Everything was green or yellow, and there were shadows lurking everywhere, along with spirits looking like half of a body made of light, and spiders crawling around their feet.

“Creepy, isn’t it,” she commented, seeing his wide eyes.

“If you mean Iron Bull right in our squad, yes, very,” he uttered dryly and she blinked in confusion.

“Who’s Iron Bull?” she looked at the rest of their squad and noticed the nickname on the bottom line. A warrior it seemed and a Reaver on top of that. She searched the crowd for his toon and immediately spotted a huge horned Qunari standing there with a big sword on his back.

“Oh!” it finally occurred to her. “ _He_ is your Qunari?”

“Definitely not _mine_ ,” Dorian refused with a weird face. “Why is karma so bad on me. What have I done in the past life to be treated such way?”

“I’m sure you’re just being a drama queen,” she laughed and patted his shoulder.

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: It’s so creepy here.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I thought it’s a perfect place for honeymoon, imho.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: Oh yes, the light is definitely setting up the mood. Especially with the spiders.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I thought you liked spiders.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I love them! Far away from me.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Awww.**

**[Squad][The_Iron_Bull]: Look what we have here – an alternate altar!**

**[Squad][Altus]: Do me a favour and play dead.**

**[Squad][The_Iron_Bull]: But I can only do fetch and sit, playing dead takes more time.**

**[Squad][Altus]: I’m sure you can find that time very far away from me. Preferably offline.**

**[Squad][The_Iron_Bull]: You talk so sweet.**

**[Squad][Nightingale]: I take it that you know each other?**

**[Squad][Altus]: No, I’ve never seen him before in my unfortunate life.**

Eve snorted ad Dorian nudged her in reprimand.

“Don’t laugh. He’s seriously obnoxious.”

“I think it’s hilarious,” she admitted and Dorian groaned when Iron Bull’s answer had been _That’s not what you said when we wrecked the bed_.

“He likes you,” she pointed out and Dorian seemed poutier than normally.

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: His boyfriend?**

“Cullen asks if he’s your boyfriend,” she delivered the question with a quiet laugh and Dorian made a disgusted noise that spoke volumes.

“Ask him if he’d like to see his toon flying over the Fade only in his knickers.”

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: I think not.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Too bad. I can feel the love.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: He feels like hitting something, so I guess it’s good if we start :D**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Good idea.**

She was pretty sure the raid was going to be either catastrophic, or hilarious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> A bit less of these two and more of the game, but it should be better ^^   
> Thank you very much for your comments on the last chapter, you're so sweet and I'm happy you liked it <3


	13. An Expansion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Alliance][Lion_Commander]: The screen will just turn black and you’ll get “disconnected from the server”. You want to open a bottle of champagne at it?  
> [Alliance][Nightingale]: I haven’t thought of champagne, how undiligent of me.  
> [Alliance][Truth_Seeker]: I want to watch a TV series, why are you keeping me here?  
> [Alliance][Nightingale]: Because it’s important. And you can watch it on the internet later.  
> [Alliance][Truth_Seeker]: Ugh.

If Cullen wanted to be completely honest, he would have to admit he used to be the similar case of prejudice. But the amount of hate Eve got because she was a Herald was unimaginable and if their squad wasn’t mostly full of their own alliance, he would have left the raid along with her. Their squad was from 80% pretty much consistent on defending her from every stupid remark others had, but two randoms they had were nasty as well, except of Dorian’s boyfriend (or not his boyfriend, but maybe a wannabe) who kept on making bad puns at the haters for the rest of the raid.

Apart from that the raid was bad in overall, half of the people were too busy insulting her and not playing and the other half didn’t really know what to do, and when those, who should have led them were bunch of jerks, it was doomed right from the start.

He didn’t blame her logging off right the moment the raid broke down and disbanded.

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: What the hell was that supposed to mean! God, if I could, I’d freaking push them off the cliff! Bunch of amateurs.**

**[Alliance][Fen’Harel]: That was sad to look at right from the start. Having our healer badmouthed from undergeared idiots is absolutely pathetic.**

**[Alliance][Altus]: I found it hilarious. They were so into dragging her down they didn’t even notice our own squad was alive because our healer could actually heal, in comparison to theirs.**

**[Alliance][Wildcard]: id stuff them into something dark and smelly so they would suffocate in their own vomit bastards**

**[Alliance][Altus]: Charming.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: How is she?**

**[Whisper][Altus]: She held herself quiet to the bathroom. Guess she’s either raging there or sitting on the toilet lid, searching for a meaning of life.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I suppose she didn’t take her phone with her.**

**[Whisper][Altus]: Brilliant deduction.**

Cullen sighed and put his phone back on the bed. No wonder she hadn’t been replying. It was a stupid thing, really. Just a game, there was no real reason why it should drag her down when she was obviously skilled enough to surpass any of the haters. But Cullen _knew_ it wasn’t so easy, no matter how untrue or unreasonably mean the words were – they just always hit the target.

She told him she didn’t care about their opinions when the hatred started, but she was under the onslaught for about forty minutes and it just had to get to her, like it or not.

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: I have a feeling like she’s a unicorn though. The only actual Herald in the whole game who got so far.**

**[Whisper][Altus]: She has the phone now, just so you know. You can thank me later.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Cheeky. But thank you.**

He logged off as well and grabbed his phone with a deep sigh. He already left her several messages and she still didn’t reply. Writing another one would probably bother her, wouldn’t it?

**Cullen – 18:44 –**

**Do you want me to call you?**

No reply.

“Guess not,” he mumbled and went to make something to eat. At least it was Friday if nothing else, so she wouldn’t need to deal with it under the onslaught of her unpleasant colleague.

***

A beep interrupted him almost immediately after he started watching a movie and he glanced at the message with a bit too much hope.

**Evelyn – 19:20 –**

**Sorry! I was in the shower for a bit too long :(**

Well, sometimes hope paid off.

**Cullen - 19:21 –**

**No problem :) How are you?**

**Evelyn – 19:22 –**

**Geez, I’m fine, seriously. It’s just a game, not a life evaluation.**

**Cullen – 19:23 –**

**True.**

**Evelyn – 19:25 –**

**You wanted to call?**

**Cullen – 19:27 –**

**Thought maybe you don’t want to write and talking would be easier when you weren’t replying.**

**Evelyn – 19:28 –**

**Oh. Sorry about that.**

**Cullen – 19:30 –**

**I told you it’s fine :)**

He wanted to call still just to hear her. Instead of it he chickened out and wished her a good rest while he was going to watch a movie. She sent him a smiley and they weren’t talking until the next day.

Cullen was really in a dire need of social life assistance.

***

It was on Wednesday when his phone lit up with up with a photo of a teddy bear with a big blue ribbon on his neck. Cullen stared at it for a moment, wondering if Mia decided what she wanted for Christmas, until he noticed the picture came from Evelyn.

**Cullen – 14:11 –**

**Teddy bear?**

**Evelyn – 14:13 –**

**Saw it and thought of you.**

**Cullen – 14:14 –**

**Because I’m… uh. A bear?**

**Evelyn – 14:15 –**

**:O Are you!**

**Cullen – 14:17 –**

**If I am, nobody told me and that’s very rude of them.**

**Evelyn – 14:19 –**

**I thought it’s because you seem like a cuddly type, but this is better :D**

**Cullen – 14:22 –**

**Do I?**

**Evelyn – 14:23 –**

**Yeah, like, somebody who likes to cuddle all the time. Just a hunch :P**

**Cullen – 14:25 –**

**I definitely am not opposed to cuddling, yes. But the ribbon…**

**Evelyn – 14:27 –**

**Not your style?**

**Cullen – 14:29 –**

**I prefer it red.**

**Evelyn – 14:31 –**

**I should have known.**

**Cullen – 14:33 –**

**For next time, maybe :)**

He chuckled and hid his phone back to the pocket when Alistair gave him a curious look. A teddy bear… He needed to start to look for presents soon, since Christmas was approaching in a lightning speed.

The immediate need to get something for Eve didn’t even surprise him.

**Evelyn – 14:44 –**

**Oh my god!!!**

**Evelyn – 14:45 –**

**\- 1 attachment -**

It took him a moment before he realized he was looking at a plushie of a lion.

“Oh god,” he stared, until another message came.

**Evelyn – 14:47 –**

**It’s HUGE! It’s like a body pillow, oh my god :D**

**Evelyn – 14:48 –**

**I need to buy it and send it to you. With an embarrassing message so the delivery man would stammer and think you have a big boyfriend :D**

**Cullen – 14:50 –**

**Eve, you’re an evil queen.**

**Evelyn – 14:51 –**

**I know, it’s perfect!**

**Cullen – 14:52 –**

**Please, don’t buy that lion.**

**Cullen – 14:55 –**

**Eve.**

**Cullen – 15:02 –**

**Eve, please tell me you didn’t buy that thing.**

**Evelyn – 15:20 –**

**TOO LATE!**

“Maker preserve me.”

***

It was Friday and the expansion was fifteen minutes away. They were all logged in the game, because Leliana insisted to _see the old times go_.

**[Alliance][Lion_Commander]: The screen will just turn black and you’ll get “disconnected from the server”. You want to open a bottle of champagne at it?**

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: I haven’t thought of champagne, how undiligent of me.**

**[Alliance][Truth_Seeker]: I want to watch a TV series, why are you keeping me here?**

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: Because it’s important. And you can watch it on the internet later.**

**[Alliance][Truth_Seeker]: Ugh.**

**[Alliance][Rosecult]: What kind of series?**

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: Rooooooomance.**

**[Alliance][Truth_Seeker]: Sophisticated romance.**

**[Alliance][Rosecult]: Sounds nice :)**

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: Flaterrer.**

**[Alliance][Rosecult]: Shhhh.**

**[Alliance][Fen’Harel]: I believe Nightingale’s intention to keep us here is because the company is well known for the cutscenes before the expansion.**

**[Alliance][Harding]: cutscenes? Like, of the story changes?**

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: Precisely. I’ve played a different game from them and it had a really nice one, so I assume this is going to be the same thing. I can’t wait!**

**[Alliance][Altus]: I should have got better clothes for such occasion.**

**[Alliance][Wildcard]: five mins**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: The world is going to explode and they will tell us the game is closing off.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: That would be bad :/**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: But you thought of it.**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: Nah. But with the storyline changes it may get rough before we get used to it again.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: If you need something to cry on, the lion is available o:)**

**[Whisper][Lion_Commander]: I swear to god, woman, if I ever get you under my hands, you’re so going to get it.**

**[Whisper][Rosecult]: :o Molester!**

He snorted and sent her a laughing smiley. She was teasing him with the lion plushie for days now and even though he kind of doubted she actually bought it, he could never be sure. If she was going to ask for his address, he would know though and that mildly scared him.

(In a good way.)

**[Alliance][Nightingale]: One minute! See you all after the update ^^**

Cullen shook his head and in several seconds the screen turned black. He expected _disconnected_ message to pop in, but after a moment the colours returned and he raised an eyebrow.

There was a CGI cut scene with the Chantry seat. People were passing the tall building with chatter, the inner setting quiet and peaceful. Then suddenly the whole place exploded with a red light reaching the skies. The scene skipped to another place where the heavens got torn apart by a huge, green breach that started to spew demons on the earth. Civilians were dying under their attacks, those who tried to fight them off to defend themselves ended even worse. There were shown Circles of Magi that turned into chaos, mages becoming abominations, Templars chasing down runaways, a war between the two sides raging like it wasn’t enough that the whole sky had been consumed by an enormous scar.

Cullen couldn’t help but stare when the screen changed again, this time switching right into _their_ guild base, showing their toons getting ready to fight. He wondered if it showed to everyone their own alliance?

Then there was Eve’s toon, with her hand glowing brightly, and she was stepping under the torn sky, to the crystalized breach that kept on changing, and suddenly she was using her mark and closing it with another explosion that sealed the hole above the world like a needle, leaving it scarred, but in one piece.

The cut scene continued with showing smaller breaches all around the world, still posing a threat, and the chantry seat in flames and rubbles. Everything fell into chaos, but then there was Eve’s avatar again at their guild base, which changed signs from chantry ones into a sun eye all over the walls.

“Inquisitor,” one of the guards next to her said. “You’re expected in the war room.”

She raised her marked hand, the green sparkling apparent, and nodded. When she turned around and walked towards the door in the heart of the building, the camera entered first and showed a whole map of the game world on the table with figures signing all struggling places. Behind the table Cullen’s avatar stood with a hand on the hilt of the sword, Cassandra’s toon with a book marked with the Inquisition sign and Leliana’s character looking hooded and solemn while bending over the map. When _Rosecult_ stopped in front of the desk, they all looked at her like they were awaiting commands and the screen turned dark again.

 _The Inquisition arose_ ; the text appeared. _Whose side are you on?_

Then the game disconnected and Cullen’s mouth refused to close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Okay, with this I'm letting you breathe a little, this is the end of speedy updates xD Maybe on another weekend... :D   
> Anyway, I've the ending of this chapter in my head for long, and I hope it doesn't suck since it's just a short description (and it definitely looked better in my head). But yeah, here we go, Inqusition.


	14. Lonely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I was concerned,” he shrugged and let go of her, his face a pure fondness. “You’re such a precious flower; I’d hate to see you plucked away by a brute.”  
> “He’s not a brute and there is no plucking,” she pointed out and he laughed like she just told him a very hilarious joke.  
> “You’re adorable,” he bent down and kissed her forehead. “Please, never change.”

“Look at you, my dear _Inquisitor_ ,” Dorian purred, leaning against the door. “ _Now_ let’s see the haters’ rage.“

“I don’t understand,” Eve couldn’t stop staring at the now black screen with _disconnected_ blinking there. “What just happened?”

“Well, the storyline apparently changed,” Dorian shrugged and seemingly was pleased about the whole thing. “And since people despised Heralds, you got rare and the developers decided you should kick all of their asses.”

“Inquisitor Trevelyan,” she tried it on her tongue and smirked. “I’d say that was, after all, a really big change. Hawke is going to eat me alive.”

“Hawke plays too?” Dorian raised an eyebrow and Eve realized she never told him – or actually played with Hawke for pretty long time since she joined the alliance. They talked over the phone, but in game as if he didn’t exist anymore.

“It was him who recommended the game to me,” she replied with a shrug and reached for her phone. There was already a text from Cullen, asking her about the Inquisition and if she knew.

**Evelyn – 20:02 –**

**No idea what happened, I didn’t know about it, I swear.**

**Cullen – 20:03 –**

**It’s AMAZING! I mean, you got so much hate and all, and now this! It’s just so good!**

“Cullen seems happy.”

“Of course he seems happy,” Dorian peeked over her shoulder at the text. “It made you powerful and finally gave you a better spot. I’m sure that’s what he wanted for you all along.”

“Watch out, a matchmaker,” she smirked at him and Dorian shrugged again.

“What can I say, I’m a sucker for happy endings.”

“I’m sure,” she patted him on his shoulder.

**Evelyn – 20:08 –**

**BOW BEFORE YOUR MASTER, MWUAHAHAHA.**

**Cullen – 20:09 –**

**Gladly :)**

**Cullen – 20:10 –**

**But seriously, it was so well made, the CGI and everything. I’m sure everyone is shocked now.**

**Evelyn – 20:11 –**

**Well, I know *I* am shocked, haha.**

**Cullen – 20:12 –**

**Inquisitor Rosecult. Has a nice ring to it.**

**Evelyn – 20:13 –**

**Thought Inquisitor Trevelyan sounds better :D**

**Cullen – 20:14 –**

**Trevelyan?**

“Oh,” she voiced out, realizing she just told him her surname without thinking. When she said it in front of Dorian, it didn’t really occur to her Cullen didn’t know more than her first name, so writing it down seemed natural.

**Evelyn – 20:16 –**

**Oh, yeah, sorry. My surname. Forgot it wouldn’t tell you anything, my bad.**

**Cullen – 20:17 –**

**Evelyn Trevelyan. That sounds rad :)**

**Evelyn – 20:19 –**

**Haha, sounds more like responsibilities :D**

**Cullen – 20:20 –**

**Nah, it’s very elegant. Definitely better than Rutherford.**

“Rutherford,” she repeated and her lips curled up in a smile.

_Cullen Rutherford._

For some reason she liked it a lot. It suited him, it was like a knight name.

“Rutherford?” Dorian’s voice interrupted her from her thoughts and she was ready to deny everything before she realized he had been fully clothed and just buttoning up his coat.

“Are you leaving?” she asked with wide eyes and Dorian smiled at her like she was a kid and he was a parent who had to leave on a business trip.

“I’ve been on one place long enough,” he told her simply and smoothed his black coat down. “My legs were getting restless.”

“But…”

“It had been a pleasure staying here, my dear Inquisitor,” he took few steps forward to bring them close. “You’re a delightful person and I’m grateful you’ve been willing to let me stay here.”

“Dorian,” she sighed and he shook his head.

“I’ll stop by again next year, I swear,” he promised with a chuckle, seeing her unhappy expression. “For now on I have to fly away like a bird before your charming presence would clip my wings so well I’d never want to leave.”

“Then don’t leave,” she tried stubbornly and he laughed and pulled her into a hug. “Dorian, come on, it’s late, why now?”

“My ride is waiting outside,” he confessed with a sigh. “I’ve meant to leave a week ago, but managed to delay it. Felt like I have to have you on my sight with Mr. Commander business. But he’s a good egg.”

“You’ve been playing my chaperone?” she squeezed his sides in a reprimand and he hummed.

“I was concerned,” he shrugged and let go of her, his face a pure fondness. “You’re such a precious flower; I’d hate to see you plucked away by a brute.”

“He’s not a brute and there is no plucking,” she pointed out and he laughed like she just told him a very hilarious joke.

“You’re adorable,” he bent down and kissed her forehead. “Please, never change.”

“You’re evil,” she told him in response but when he hugged her again, she couldn’t stay mad.

“I’ll call you,” he promised with a firm nod when he stepped away. “On Christmas and all.”

“You better,” she stuck her tongue at him and when there was evident he couldn’t be swayed from leaving, she walked him out of the house. There was a car waiting in front of it, but she couldn’t see the driver in the dark, so she just waved Dorian off and with a swirl of his black coat he was gone.

She stayed on the door step for a moment longer, watching the car disappearing in the dark, and sighed. She got so used to him it seemed weird to see him go – and probably for some time again too.

“Wonder if he’ll still play,” she mumbled and looked up at the sky. It was full of stars – she never saw so many of them in Ostwick. There was a devious barking sounding from just around the corner, and first snow started falling on the ground.

The chilly weather eventually drove her back home.

***

The flat was quiet and so, so empty. She could feel the same anxiety from the first day she moved here creeping on her again, like she got used to being with somebody that now the stillness was terrifying her. She didn’t know how to occupy herself – the game was off, she didn’t have the TV and sleep seemed like a bad idea.

“Calm down,” she breathed in and breathed out. “You’re home.”

This place became her home already. She lived here for almost three months now and she was fine by herself. Yes, of course, with Dorian it was fuller, warmer and more homey, but she was alright even without him.

She just needed to find the rhythm again.

A beep almost scared her to death before she realized it had been her phone. She quickly grabbed it from the bed and realized she forgot to answer to Cullen, and he got worried.

Was he home alone too? Or did he live with somebody? His family, maybe? Was he married? Had a girlfriend? She didn’t actually know these things about him, and the more she was thinking about it, the more she wanted to know.

It was something to occupy her mind at least. It was something she needed. He was always like a soothing wave of calm force, like a beacon she could lean on.

She wondered if he knew.

**Evelyn – 20:50 –**

**Sorry, Dorian just left, was seeing him off.**

**Cullen – 20:51 –**

**This late?**

**Evelyn – 20:52 –**

**Yeah.**

                She sighed. This late. It was Friday night and Dorian left.

**Evelyn – 20:53 –**

**Cullen…**

**Cullen – 20:54 –**

**Yes?**

**Evelyn – 20:56 –**

**Can I call you?**

Was he busy? Was there somebody with him? Would he say yes? Or would he turn her down? She felt too needy. Was she bothering him?

**Cullen – 20:57 –**

**Of course, Eve.**

Her heart skipped a beat and before she could think about it, she dialled his number she had already saved in her contacts and waited for him to pick up with shaking hands.

“Have something happen?” was a first thing he said. His voice was the same pleasant sounding velvet and she felt her chest getting warmer and butterflies in her stomach swarming.

“Not at all,” she lied – or not, when you looked at it, she wasn’t telling a lie. Nothing happened except of Dorian leaving, but she told him and that was fine. It wasn’t like he left angry or did something wrong, nor did she.

It was fine. She was just so…

“Lonely.”

“Lonely?” he repeated and there was a worry in his voice.

“I got used to him being here,” she mumbled, feeling bad for dumping it on him but couldn’t stop herself. “Now there is just this. An empty, quiet flat.”

“I understand,” he responded warmly. “You get used to somebody else easily and the presence is missed once they are gone.”

“Yeah,” she agreed and sat back down on her bed, tucking her knees up under her chin. “Are you living alone?”

“Yeah, for several years already,” he agreed easily. “I got used to it.”

“You think it would be difficult for you to live with somebody?” it was a fair question. Habits were one thing, but getting used to solitude always could dig very deep.

“It depends,” he said thoughtfully and she heard him walking through his place, then noises as if he was opening cupboards. “I think if I’d have to live with my family again, it would drive me insane.”

She laughed and agreed. That was why she left Ostwick.

“Do you have a big family?” it was nosy, but when she asked, it felt like a natural flow.

“Quite,” he chuckled. “I have three siblings. My sister Mia is the eldest and she still likes to act like she can command me. It’s kind of endearing. My brother Branson was usually a quiet force and when he got his first son, he became pretty much the perfect father. At least that’s what his wife says. My youngest sister Rosalie is a wildfire though, I wonder if she ever calms down.”

She felt herself smiling, imagining Cullen growing up with tree more Rutherfords. Their home had to be quite lively with four kids.

“It sounds perfect,” she said softly. He spoke with fondness in his voice and it made her somehow calm and a little overwhelmed. He really seemed like a family type, she wondered why he was living alone?

“You never thought of settling down?” she asked again. “I mean, it sounds like you come from such a family oriented upbringing.”

“Does it?” there was an amusement in his voice and a faint sound of water boiling in a kettle in the background. “I suppose it does. Our family was always big – I mean, not just with four kids, but the cousins and uncles and aunts and grandparents. Imagine Christmas dinners and birthdays.”

“Wild thing,” she laughed and slowly lied down.

“Definitely. So, I’m used to having lots of people around me,” he confessed with a hum. “But somehow… I don’t know, like until now I haven’t met anyone I’d like to share my life with. I mean, there were attempts, but… it just wasn’t right, if you know what I mean.”

“Yeah,” she nodded quietly. “I know what you mean.”

“So I stayed alone, because rushing into things is not healthy,” the sound of boiling ceased and she heard water running into a cup. Footsteps must have led back into Cullen’s place of rest, since after a moment there was only silence, like he sat down somewhere comfortable.

A bed, maybe, like her?

“It’s not,” she chimed in. “Are you in a bed?”

A snort.

“Yes,” a simple agreement. “I usually play on my notebook here.”

“Same,” she smiled. “Too bad the game is down now.”

“Yes, Inquisitor Trevelyan,” he chuckled and her surname sounded so nice from his lips it made her speechless for a moment, sending a shiver down her spine. “Imagine how the next time you log in would look. People are going to explode.”

“You think everyone saw the same CGI?” she wondered and started playing with her hair, curling it around her finger. She wondered if he liked red colour. Would he run a hand through her hair if they were together? “I mean, I thought they would see their own alliances.”

“That would be impossible,” Cullen opposed thoughtfully. “There are so many alliances already. Making CGI for everyone… no, I think we all saw the same one. Not to mention you’re pretty much the only Herald that made it so far.”

“Pretty much,” she mumbled. Based on all the hate she got during the gameplay it seemed like a logical thing. Who would like to get nasty remarks every time they would try to run a dungeon or a raid?

“I think it was a brilliant move though,” he said and sounded like he was smiling. “The developers must have been watching you and then decided to strike when they saw a chance.”

“Making me an Inquisitor,” she commented. “And our alliance an Inquisition. Ruling them all.”

“It’s probably going to be tough,” he suggested. “But you know we got your back.”

“Yeah, I know,” she smiled. “I’m so glad Seeker decided to camp me that day.”

“Was she camping you?” he laughed and she laughed with him.

“Along with Night, they were pretty much relentless,” she remembered the time pretty well. “And then when I asked for an invite, my Wi-Fi crashed and I thought I’ve lost the chance.”

“Oh yes, I remember they were saying something about you going off,” he hummed. “And then I made it difficult.”

“You were an ass,” she teased him. “But you made it up to me.”

“Did I?” it sounded like a genuine question.

“Very much so, Cullen Rutherford,” she used his full name with gusto, and it felt nice on her tongue. “Very much so.”

“I’m glad I’ve met you,” he told her in a low voice. “You really made me feel like…”

She held her breath.

“Like?” she tried when the silence stretched and then there was a soft sigh on his side.

“Like I found the right person.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Yessss, I've managed to actually finish this chapter today, even with all the work :D I'm really happy you guys seem to like this thing, I'm overwhelmed, you're so sweet and supportive! Thank you so much! <3


	15. Too Soon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Too soon?” Leliana offered and there was an understanding in her features. “I mean, it has been for like… three or four months, so not that soon, but I get it.”  
> “Yeah, too soon,” he nodded shortly. “I don’t want to mess it up or push her into anything.”  
> “Always the gentleman,” she smiled at him. “How about you invite her for the Christmas party?”

Cullen felt the dread gripping him when the silence stretched for too long. Was she angry? Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything; maybe it was too bold to actually dump it on her like that when she just wanted talk. It was like a death sentence, like he expected her to react on it – and it wasn’t true, he didn’t say it to give her an ultimatum or anything. It just fell out of his mouth like a natural response, because it was true – because she was his special somebody, somehow, just perfectly fitting. Maybe it was just him, but then again he couldn’t know that if he never asked, right?

Then, finally, he heard her taking in a deep breath.

“Eve?” he tried asking softly. Maybe he should have apologized. He overstepped the boundaries, didn’t he? They never really talked about this – about them – and he just didn’t know if it was just him or not. Sometimes they had those moments where Cullen felt it more than usual, small phrases or quiet confessions, but it could have easily been his own wish.

“Sorry,” she piped and Cullen’s heart stopped for a moment. Of course she was sorry. She was such a gentle soul, why would he even expect her to-. “It’s just so unfair. You say this and I can’t do anything I want.”

“Anything you want?” he repeated in confusion and she chuckled, although her voice trembled slightly.

“Hug you at least,” she said quietly. “I wasn’t sure… I never said anything, but you’re…”

He held his breath and she seemed to do the same.

“You’re the same important person to me and I this is just so unfair.”

He barked out a laugh, a relief washed over him in waves, making space for something more, something deeper and happier, and he loved it. It expanded in his chest like a balloon threatening to explode and he didn’t even mind if it did, because it would only make him more delighted.

“Well,” he said gently. “You just made someone very happy.”

“You made somebody very happy too,” she returned and her voice was soft and he wanted to know _everything_ about her.

***

“Stop smiling.”

“I’m not smiling.”

“Yes, you are, and it’s suspicious.”

Cullen rolled his eyes, but didn’t say anything. Morrigan was watching him from across the room where she worked with Leliana on the next year’s financial plan, and he was wondering if she was ready to pounce him and claw him to death. She must have met Alistair on her way since she was terribly pissy.

“He’s in love,” Leliana commented on it with a shrug. “He had been this way for a week now.”

“Disgusting,” Morrigan uttered dryly and Leliana chuckled. Cullen really, really didn’t want to comment on it, especially when Eve sent him a photo of her colleague dressed like there was a masquerade somewhere and she went as a peacock.

**Cullen – 12:10 –**

**Very Orlesian, absolutely.**

**Evelyn – 12:12 –**

**Ikr. I don’t know if I haven’t missed the occasion or something.**

**Cullen – 12:15 –**

**Why, are you in jeans and oversized t-shirt? :D**

**Evelyn – 12:18 –**

**\- 1 attachment -**

**Evelyn – 12:18 –**

**Close enough.**

He could see a red skirt and black stockings in the photo with elegant high heels like she took the picture while sitting. Well, since she was still in the office with her colleague, she probably did. He watched the slim, nicely curved legs appraisingly until he heard movement and closed the image for a good measure.

Leliana walked from one side of the table to another like she needed a new angle to think and Morrigan was staring at him like she wanted to murder him. He rather went back to his phone.

**Cullen – 12:22 –**

**No clown shoes? I’m disappointed.**

**Evelyn – 12:23 –**

**They didn’t have my size.**

**Cullen – 12:24 –**

**What a pity.**

"Are you two dating already?”

He almost dropped his phone when he heard Leliana’s voice behind him, apparently reading the messages.

“Leliana,” he hissed at her, but she just smiled at him like she didn’t do anything bad and crossed her arms on her chest.

“Are you?” she pressed. “With _Evelyn_?”

“No, and stop being nosy,” he frowned at her, but she knew it was only half-heartedly anyway and didn’t need to take it seriously, judging from her unchanging mischievous expression.

“Why not?” she asked and Cullen glanced around, noticing Morrigan disappeared somewhere and he wondered if only for a sharp knife she could cut him with. “Morrigan is upstairs. Said she can’t watch you anymore.”

“I wasn’t doing anything,” he defended himself and Leliana just smirked.

“So why not?”

“Because we are not,” he answered simply. Yes, they were… interested, he would say. They told each other they feel more, but actually asking for a date seemed rather sudden anyway. They didn’t even meet yet, nor they knew how the other looked like (Cullen thought asking her for a picture right at the phone call they had was simply weird and then the days went and he couldn’t really gather enough courage to ask, so when she sent something like the last picture – once it was her hand because of a bracelet or her feet with shoes she didn’t know if she should buy – it was basically like sneak peaks). They talked almost as normally, but it was fonder, more intimate. They said each other things like _missed you_ when they couldn’t chat and Cullen was always a step closer for asking her out, especially when they made the phone calls a regular evening thing.

“Too soon?” Leliana offered and there was an understanding in her features. “I mean, it has been for like… three or four months, so not that soon, but I get it.”

“Yeah, too soon,” he nodded shortly. “I don’t want to mess it up or push her into anything.”

“Always the gentleman,” she smiled at him. “How about you invite her for the Christmas party?”

“Spending it with her family,” he mumbled. He already asked, sort of, about Christmas, and she sounded like it was a torture to actually get back home for the holiday, but she had to. Cullen learned she wasn’t on the best terms with them now, but still wanted to at least stop by – and if he was being honest, he had the Christmas scheduled with his family too. Not the whole holiday, but the Christmas Eve was mostly a tradition and Mia would never forgive him if he ditched them.

“Shame,” she sighed. “Maybe we can do it today so she can make it? Instead of tomorrow. ”

“It’s alright, Leliana,” he assured her with a chuckle. “We are two adult people. If we wanted to meet, we wouldn’t need an event, we would just set a place and a date.”

Not to mention he didn’t know where she lived now and how far would it be for her to get to Denerim. If he would ask her to come today, it could be pretty much impossible either way. And just out of the blue… no, really not a wise choice. He wanted it to be perfect.

“So why don’t you?” she pointed out. “Set a date and a place.”

It was a fair question, but he didn’t really have an answer. Every time he wanted to ask, it just seemed too pushy or out of place in the conversation, like he was impatient, and he didn’t want her to think that. Not to mention it was Christmas in two days and it was time for people close to her, not somebody she met online.

“After Christmas,” he concluded to sate her curiosity. “You know how families are.”

“True enough,” she let out a shrug. “Say hi to her for me.”

“Will do,” he nodded and Leliana left the room as well, probably to get Morrigan off Alistair’s neck as she was possibly choking him.   

***

“She’s a literal spymaster. I had been replying to you and suddenly she had been behind me, reading the texts,” he chuckled and Eve laughed on the other side of the line.

“Well, at least she picked up the right job in the game,” she pointed out and Cullen had to agree. Leliana was a shady character in both places, although in the game one a bit more deadly. She became a literal Spymaster (as her title changed the same way Evelyn’s did) once the Inquisition got up and running, made a net of her own agents, recruited several players that weren’t an official part of an alliance, but her own small army, and so far it worked like a charm. She knew _everything_. And if not her, somebody told her sooner or later.

The Inquisition became strong and respected – but also hated and despised. There were several attacks per day on Eve’s Inquisitor, but along with the title her powers multiplied and nobody could say the former Herald was a weak class anymore. The whole subclass base changed – or evolved to be literal – with new titles and skills, moving the gameplay into another level. Cullen gained a title of the Knight Vigilant and with Cassandra as a Lady Seeker they were pretty much the defence wall of the organization.

Dragon hunts were added as wekk, making the events raid-like and absolutely stunning. One big dragon was a feast for so many groups of players it usually made the FPS a living hell with all the effects floating around.

The Inquisition gained strength and grew, changing the whole hierarchy of the world. The Chantry fell into chaos and lost its strength, and small fractions started to form. The developers of the game planned it _brilliantly_ and it almost felt like a different kind of game – a better one, more engaging and free.

“She wanted you to come to the Christmas party,” Cullen mentioned with a small sigh, not saying again he wanted her there too, although he was pretty sure she understood the hidden message.

“That’s so sweet of her,” she said fondly. “I’m sorry this whole family business is in the way. If it was solely on me, I wouldn’t go – I wanted to get away from them after all. But they would probably kidnap me if I declined.”

“Sounds shady,” he couldn’t help but smile – but then again, this thing their families had in common. Caring about children, no matter how old already was like a tradition.

“It is!” she agreed with a laugh. “You’d have to see my father; he would probably send police after me.”

“Rough,” he chimed. He could listen to her for hours without interrupting; her voice was soothing and gentle. When she was telling him what happened during the day, he found himself smiling even though she couldn’t see it, absolutely content just being there, hearing her.

“But really,” she sounded serious. “I’m sorry I can’t come.”

“It’s not like there aren’t other times with us getting festive,” he assured her softly. “Not to mention I wasn’t even sure if you’d want to… you know. Meet or anything, this soon.”

“I’d want to,” she almost whispered and he wondered if it was because she was too shy to admit it out loud. “To meet you, I mean.”

“Yeah?” it was a stupid thing to answer with – he had all other phrases to say. _I want to meet you too. I’d love to actually see you with my own eyes, hear you without the electronic disturbance, give you a hug and lift you in the air because it’s cheesy but I’d love to do that, at least once._

“Yeah,” she replied quietly. “Every day more and more.”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. God, he was really, really falling for her so hard. Ridiculously, crazily, amazingly much. Mia would probably laugh at him for being in such state for somebody he never met, but goddamn if it was possible not to. Eve completely blew his doubts away, the sound of her laughter, the nuances in her voice, the gentle tone and witty answers. She had an amazing sense of humour and they just fitted like puzzle.

“Me too,” he said after a moment, hoping his voice didn’t tremble.

“We should,” she suggested playfully, but there was hopefulness in it and he felt it in his inner core.

“We will,” he assured her. “After Christmas?”

“After Christmas.”

He never wished for the holidays to be over so much before like he did now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> God, peeps, you totally blew me away with y-day chapter comments. Thank you so much for reading and commenting, it's such a huge motivation for me to write as fast as I can it's completely stunning. Thank you for being amazing and so lovely! <3


	16. Troubles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You shouldn’t bring so much booze with you then.”  
> “Very funny,” she rolled her eyes and walked around it, thinking if there was really something she could leave at home. Bad thing was it consisted of presents and those took most of the space, so ditching them was not an option.   
> “What, I thought it’s a mandatory first aid kit to survive your family,” Hawke responded cheekily and there was laughter somewhere near him.

“I already told you it’s on 6.”

“I already forgot.”

Eve groaned and for a moment had a feeling she should threw her phone on the ground. Getting back to Ostwick was really something – of course her father called, telling her he was going to get to Denerim _personally_ to pick her up. She refused, of course. Then her mother offered Philliam to get her again – which no, thank you. Philliam, that chicken wuss, would probably tell them even the amount on Eve’s bank account and that was something they didn’t need to know.

When she got a little desperate, the only person she thought of was Hawke. And Hawke said yes.

On 23rd, she said – he said _yes, of course Trevelyan, on 23 rd. _At 6 PM, she said. _Of course, Trevelyan, at 6 I’ll be there, honking under your precious window._

It was 7 and Hawke wasn’t there, of course.

“Hawke, seriously,” she whined. She was already dressed and her luggage was a painful thing to see and Cullen was answering so sporadically she felt bad for disturbing him during the Christmas party, so she stopped – and got immediately bored. Then anxious, since the time moved and then called Hawke to give him a piece of her mind about not being on time.

“Sorry!” the man apologized and there was a noise behind him like he was celebrating somewhere.

Celebrating.

Meant drinking.

Meant not being able to drive her.

“Hawke,” she hissed over the line. “Have you been drinking?”

“Nope,” came a reply she didn’t believe a single second from. “I’ve just been invited, so I thought I’d stop by, and I knew I have to pick you up, so don’t worry about it, I just forgot the time.”

“It’s seven, Hawke,” she grumbled. “I picked 6 because I didn’t want to arrive so late and didn’t want you to drive back late too in case you wouldn’t want to spend night in the seat of evil in Ostwick. Although you won’t really get a choice once my mother spots you.”

“Damn, sorry,” he sighed and there were several cheers in the background. “Look, how about you come here, have a good time and we will go at, I dunno, ten? And I’ll spend the night in a cupboard or somewhere.”

“I should have been there at ten already,” she opposed grudgingly. “They are going to kill me.”

“No, they are not,” he assured her with a laugh. “Too much paperwork.”

“Who taught you to be so lovely?” she shook her head and looked again at her luggage. It was huge and outside was snowing and she hated her life. “I have a big, heavy luggage.”

“You shouldn’t bring so much booze with you then.”

“Very funny,” she rolled her eyes and walked around it, thinking if there was really something she could leave at home. Bad thing was it consisted of presents and those took most of the space, so ditching them was not an option.

“What, I thought it’s a mandatory first aid kit to survive your family,” Hawke responded cheekily and there was laughter somewhere near him.

Nice, so they were also having fun on her behalf, lovely.

“I hate you,” she informed him sternly and he made cooing noises at her. “It’s snowing. The luggage is heavy. I’m dressed up like a peacock. And have high heels.”

“Get a sled!”

“Don’t try to be funny,” she reprimanded him but grabbed the handle of her luggage anyway and dragged it through the flat. “God, you’re an absolute jerk face.”

“You love me anyway.”

“Maybe in another dimension.”

“That’s enough for me,” he chuckled and she stopped in the hallway and started putting on her shoes. No high heels then – winter ones had to do. She probably should have considered different set of clothes too, but that would be too much of an effort and she was already fed up. She just hoped she was not going to be cold in the skirt and nylons, and the short coat she got from her mother on her birthday (was mostly a reconciliation gesture, so her mother would at least get soft over the clothes she picked for her, if not anything else). It was a nice one, with red and white ornaments and she actually adored it – even Florianne said a nice word about it (literally “adequate”) when she saw it.

“Babe, it’s not even far from your place,” Hawke was talking again and he sounded a bit too cheerful for her tastes – or better for her sober tastes. He just sounded so drunk. If he had been drinking, she was going to steal his car and drive herself somehow.

“Not your babe,” she grumbled and reached for a woollen beanie. She hated that guy so much it was almost giving her powers to kill him with her mind.

“You just go to the main square,” he ignored her annoyed tone and chirped happily. “And form there you go to your right, around the big parking lot, you know which one I mean?”

“Yes,” she hissed. It was the opposite way she was walking to work every day, so she knew, more or less. It wasn’t _that_ far, about fifteen minutes of walk. With a luggage.  In snow. While freezing.

“It’s right next to it!” another overexcited cheer sliced through the phone line and she sighed. She was so un-festive it probably wasn’t even possible to be less. “It’s the one with a red roof, you can’t miss it!”

“Stop shouting,” she growled and hung up on him.

Worst day ever.

***

The day started mostly fine – she arrived to work with a knowledge she could leave at 12. Florianne was mostly quiet and kind of sullen, like she awoke with a hangover and even her usual perfume overdosing was at minimum.

At twelve they both left, wished Merry Christmas because it was customary and because they didn’t need to see each other for some time, and then Eve went home. When she got to her flat, she realized she left her phone at work. So she got back. Took it. Dragged herself back home.

Still fine, it was just a bad luck.

Then her mother called, assuring her they were expecting her arrival and offering again Philliam’s chicken wuss services. _Nope._ Her father took over the phone and told her he wouldn’t be surprised if she ordered a moving company to get her back home as he thought she would.

She hung up on him and contemplated on leaving a gift for him at home – or throwing it in the garbage.

Hawke’s lateness was only the cherry on the top which she grumbled about all the way to the main square, dragging her luggage behind her like a duck, leaving a fresh trail behind her in the snow. People were looking at her weirdly – probably because she didn’t also have a dog with her – and then turned right as Hawke said, arriving to the parking lot.

“Red roof,” she mumbled, her nose already freezing, and started looking up at the tall buildings all around. There was a small bakery almost too hidden for anyone to actually notice it, then few houses without names, so probably normal flats, and then two very tall buildings – one all window-y, probably for some company and for a moment Eve thought it was the place Hawke was talking about – with a snobbish party and all.

It didn’t have the red roof though, thank god.

She walked a little closer and finally noticed the right one, with wide gate probably to the garage, and she hesitated.

“A fire station?” she read the sign with furrowed brows.

**Evelyn – 19:30 –**

**A fire station?**

**Hawke – 19:31 –**

**Yaaas.**

“Good grief,” she pulled her luggage towards the door and searched for a door bell or something. “I’m going to kill you for real.”

She still pressed it though and waited. The snow was slowly falling from the already night sky and if she wasn’t so fed up already, she would probably think it was lovely. The orange hue of the street lamps made it all look peaceful and quiet and there was basically no one around at this hour.

The door finally creaked open and Eve blinked several times before she realized she wasn’t looking at Hawke as she hoped she would be. There was a tall, blond man standing in the door, looking back at her in surprise, and she cleared her throat awkwardly and attempted a smile.

“Hi,” she waved and his brown eyes fell on her luggage next to her.

“Hi,” he responded back. He had to be one of the firefighters, since he had the uniform trousers and a white shirt, and she felt a little bad for dragging him out to the cold just in that. “May I help you?”

“Yeah, sorry,” she cleared her throat again, feeling rather silly. He was handsome, with stubble and nicely shaped figure and she should really stop staring. “Looking for Hawke, actually.”

“Oh,” he let out and took few steps back. “He’s upstairs-,”

“Can you tell him to come down, please?” she stopped him before he could invite her inside, because really, she was already late and there was no way she was going to spend the evening here and drive to Ostwick over the night. “We are already running a bit late.”

“Sure,” he let out a small shrug and before he could disappear inside again, she quickly stepped forward.

“Sorry, but… has he been drinking?” she hoped for a negative answer and the man smirked like she told him a good joke.

“What answer would be preferable?” he asked her a little cockily and she had an urge to roll her eyes.

“Well, _no_ would be nice. He’s supposed to drive me home…” she looked away with a sigh. “Trust a guy and this happens.”

“Nobody else can drive you?” he seemed worried and she didn’t really know why. There was something about him… a certain genuine honesty she couldn’t really place.

“Well… no.” A guilty feeling of her not having a driving licence came with full force to punch her in a gut. She really needed one – especially in cases like those.

“He had been drinking,” the bad answer came and he looked rather unhappy about it. “I’d advise you _not_ to drive with him tonight.”

“Goddamn,” she growled and only his presence stopped her from kicking the luggage down. “I knew it!”

“Do you still want me to fetch him?” he seemed uncertain and there was something puppy like about him. “Or maybe come upstairs, hit him with a luggage?”

“Hitting him sounds good,” she uttered dryly and reached again for the case to drag it inside, just to be stopped by him when he offered a help.

Gentleman to the core it seemed.

“If you really need somebody to drive you, I haven’t been drinking,” he said matter-of-factly and she glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. Who was that guy? A saint?

“Are you a saint?”

“Only on Wednesdays,” he shrugged and pointed at the stairs. “This way up.”

She chuckled and followed his directions, reaching a door at the end of the staircase rather quick, and when she opened, a pleasant wave of warmth engulfed her like a fluffy blanket. She could already hear the cheering and there was apparently a party in full throttle.

“Sorry, most of them are already tipsy,” he apologized sheepishly and she followed him to the source of the noises with a small smile. She wondered if Cullen had a similar party like this one.

“You’re here!” an exclamation immediately hit her like a truck and there was Hawke with a bright smile and definitely drunk attitude. She glared.

“You’re drunk,” she pointed at him threateningly and he vehemently shook his head.

“Me? Neeeever,” the noise he made almost sounded like a giggle and she wanted to kick his shin so it would really, really hurt.

“He told me you are!” she pointed at her blond companion and Hawke groaned.

“Curly busted you,” another man snorted, but she didn’t search for him in the crowd. “No way out.”

“Awh,” Hawke seemed sort of apologetic for a moment, but then offered her his glass. ”Drink with us at least?”

“Hawke…” she was really tired of repeating the reason why she had to leave already, and he made puppy eyes.

“No,” she refused. “Don’t try those on me.”

“Don’t be such a prude, Trevelyan,” he let out a howl. “I’m sorry, okay? I forgot. Can you call them you come tomorrow?”

“Sorry,” the blond man suddenly interrupted them and she glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. He seemed rather awed and she didn’t understand what was so damn interesting on her wanting to murder her friend. Well, maybe it was a good show, who knew – all of them probably watched.

“Trevelyan?” he repeated her surname and at first fear gripped her insides. Her family wasn’t _that_ well known, but it definitely had some connections and she hated to be recognized by them.

“Evelyn?” he surprised her with her first name though and then it struck her. She stared. Then stared some more. Blinked, cocked her head to the side and then covered her mouth.

“Really?” she let out the lamest sentence she could in this situation. “For real?”

He barked out a laugh and _yes_ , goddamn, how come she didn’t recognized him sooner? Saint only on Wednesdays, what a damn marking phrase and she didn’t _know_? Before she could actually let him speak, her legs were already carrying her forward until she crashed into his chest and got lifted up in the air like a doll that weighted nothing, and spun around.

“I can’t believe it,” she whispered into his shoulder, holding for a dear life. “Cullen, for real, I can’t believe it.”

He was so damn big and warm and absolutely gorgeous and this wasn’t even possible, it was like a goddamn romantic movie plot.

“You’re so beautiful,” she heard him whisper back and the butterflies in her stomach decided to go absolutely crazy.

“What have we missed?” another male voice she didn’t recognize spoke, but she didn’t bother to look. “I feel like something happened here when we blinked.”

“Oh my god,” a woman now, with an Orleisian accent. “It’s _her_.”

What about her? It was _him_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Well. That happened.


	17. Stubborn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know what’s funny?” she suddenly asked like it was a very serious question, and he fidgeted in his seat and shrugged.  
> “What is?”  
> “I’ve just wanted to text you I’ve met you,” she giggled, pulling out her phone. “Isn’t that weird?”  
> “Force of habit,” it made him smile. He didn’t even think of phones now, but it was definitely new from the time there was always a waste of space and two little devices between them.

Letting her go was downright wrong and Cullen had to force himself to actually ease off his grip and put her back on the ground – albeit grudgingly. His mind was still unable to catch up with reality, it all felt like one of his dreams where he hoped he would meet her.

But no, she was right in front of him, living and breathing and absolutely stunning with her bright smile and red hair peeking from under the white beanie she wore. She had beautiful green eyes and sinfully pink lips and if he ever had any image in his head how she _could_ look like, this shattered and surpassed all of them without effort.

Gorgeous. She was gorgeous and _here_ and he just couldn’t calm his heart down. The first moment he laid his eyes on her outside of the building, there was _something_. He couldn’t place it before he learned her surname from Hawke, but it was there and palpable, tugging in the back of his mind.

A voice, he thought at first. There was something familiar about it right from the start but connecting the dots was apparently not that easy.

Her legs, he thought next, because it was something he saw on a photo and sue him if he liked them and memorized them too. She had them on display now, with red skirt and black nylons, and really, she was just ultimately perfect in every way.

“I can’t believe we are actually meeting our _Inquisitor_ ,” Leliana’s voice interrupted his staring contest and Eve blinked at first like she just woke up from the same haze and after that turned around. He could see her raise an eyebrow and he completely understood why – Leliana was like a vamp today, high heels, tight pants and a tank top, probably choosing the clothing along with Morrigan.

“I’m Leliana,” she introduced herself with a smile. “Or Nightingale.”

“Wait, you want to tell me you know Trevelyan from the game too?” Hawke finally realized, looking rather surprised, and Cullen had to bark out a laugh. Leliana probably never talked with him about gaming – and nor did Cullen. Cassandra was out of question immediately, since she rarely spoke to the man, associating him a bit too much with Varric.

“Naturally,” Leliana approached the girl like she was a vulture, analysing her and judging every detail. From Cullen’s point of view every detail on her was perfect. “She’s our Inquisitor, of course.”

“You’re in _their_ alliance?” he gawked at Eve like dumbstruck and she shrugged, offering a small smile. She still looked a little flushed, probably from the cold.

“You told me to find some. So I did,” she shrugged and glanced back at Cullen like she was making sure he was still there. The urge to step closer was almost overwhelming, especially when she smiled.

“You’re perfectly matching my expectation of you, _Leliana_ ,” Eve turned back to their Spymaster (that title really suited her, there or in a real life).

“That’s good to hear,” Leliana winked at her and then turned around and pointed at Cassandra. The woman still seemed to be rather shocked from the whole situation, but once the focus fell on her, her expression turned calm once more.

“This is Cassandra, the Truth Seeker,” Leliana introduced her and Cass nodded towards them. Always the stoic force of their trio. Eve smiled at her and Leliana pointed at Cullen.

“And, well. You know Cullen,” there was mischief in her voice and he didn’t like it. She planned something. “Or you will, soon. The rest of these people are not important.”

“Harsh,” Alistair laughed from the corner and Cullen made a mental note not to allow Leliana to try and mess with anything.

***

“I can’t believe you work fifteen minutes from my flat,” she said in amusement and her eyes were sparkling. Cullen was surprised the rest of them mostly left them alone and when she sat down and pulled down her beanie, he just couldn’t stop staring at the red halo from her hair.

“You live in Denerim too?” she continued asking and Cullen felt like all the normal words – all the prepared questions he had for this situation – disappeared. He was mesmerized and awkward like he never saw a woman before and from Cassandra’s judgemental expression from the other table he was sure it was literally radiating from him.

“Yeah,” he nodded lamely, his eyes traveling from Eve’s face to her hair that barely reached her shoulders. It made him want to run his fingers through it. It looked silky and just perfect for touching and he had to stop himself by force from reaching out.

“That’s hysterical,” she chuckled. “Why I never asked you where you live? I thought you’re from… I don’t know. Lothering or something.”

“I’ve wanted to ask,” he admitted quietly, trying to look away. “But it seemed like a nosy thing to do, so I never really did.”

“You’re so proper,” she was smiling at him like he was some kind of puppy she found, just cooing was missing. It was a little funny. “Dorian would love you to death.”

“Dorian would?” the name caught his attention and she chuckled with a nod.

“He has a perfect taste in men, you see,” she pointed out and it made him bark out a laugh. For some reason he could easily imagine them talking about random men they met like it was completely normal, and he didn’t even know Dorian that well (or at all, really).

“You know what’s funny?” she suddenly asked like it was a very serious question, and he fidgeted in his seat and shrugged.

“What is?”

“I’ve just wanted to text you I’ve met you,” she giggled, pulling out her phone. “Isn’t that weird?”

“Force of habit,” it made him smile. He didn’t even think of phones now, but it was definitely new from the time there was always a waste of space and two little devices between them.

“Honestly,” she tilted her head to the side, looking at him like she was trying to analyse him. “Are you disappointed?”

“Are you?” he offered, because that question had to be bothering both of them. It was hanging in the air and pointing at it seemed unwanted, but at the same time the morbid curiosity pushed them anyway.

“I asked first,” she smirked and tucked a red strand of hair behind her ear. “I thought meeting you would be planned. That I’d stress myself to the point of imagining the worst scenarios and then I’d be massively relieved you’re… you.”

“I’m always me,” he responded lightly.

“You’re so nice,” it was like a thing she deduced right now, like a result of her analysis and he had to smile.

“You’re so adorable,” he returned his own observations and she took a deep breath.

“Impossible,” she said with a sigh. “That’s what you are. Impossible guy.”

“Is there such a thing?”

“Yes,” she seemed thoughtful. “I mean, you saw me for the first time and didn’t know it was me and already acted like a saint.”

“It’s called a common courtesy,” he chuckled and she shook her head.

“You offered you’d drive- oh damn!” she suddenly stood up and grabbed her phone with a groan. “I’m so _late_!”

“Oh,” he realized she was meant to drive home and stood up as well. “We should be on our way then?”

“No,” she pointed at him. “Really, just no.”

“You said you didn’t have anyone to drive you there,” he reminded her simply and she glared at Hawke like she could set his hair on fire. And he had lots of it.

“It’s in Ostwick, Cullen,” she looked back at him, looking terribly apologetic. “I can’t possibly ask you to drive me to that damn hellhole.”

“I’ve never been in Ostwick,” he shrugged. “I heard there is lots of snow this time of the year.”

“It’s _buried_ in the snow,” he made her laugh and it warmed up his heart with a pleasant ache. “But really. Ostwick is like four to five hours of drive, that’s just not do-able.”

“It’s pretty much very do-able,” he opposed and looked around. He definitely left his car keys somewhere in this mess. He wondered where his jacket was. He should have probably changed too… driving there in a firefighter clothes would only raise questions.

“Five hours,” she repeated stubbornly. “How do you think you’d feel tomorrow? It’s Christmas and your family is expecting you.”

“So does yours.”

“Mine is like from a horror story,” she waved her hand and there was an evident distaste in her features. “I mean, they’ll rage, but it’s not like I’d mind. But your family want you home and-.”

“Leliana, have you seen my car keys?” he interrupted her with a smirk and she whined. Leliana shouted _wait up_! and then his keys came flying into his general direction how she threw them over the room.

“You’re welcome!” she called at him sarcastically and he laughed and thanked her with a curt bow. ”That’s more like it.”

“Wait here for a bit,” he looked back at Eve who seemed like the world just ended. “I’ll just go change and we can be on our way.”

“Cullen, seriously, I can’t let you drive this late,” she pleaded him, but if Rutherfords were known for something, it was stubbornness. Not to mention helping her wasn’t something he would ever say no to or considered hardship.

He just smiled at her to signalize she had no power to change his mind and jogged to the changing room to ditch his firefighter clothes. He probably should have changed already since the celebration was supposed to be _official_ , but since they caught him hands deep in the truck’s engine, he didn’t really have the need to get rid of his working attire after.

It took him about five minutes, more or less, but when he got back, Eve was already surrounded by others and looked like they were asking her the most embarrassing questions possible.

“Shoo,” he interrupted them sternly. “She’s already late. Don’t bother her.”

“Just wanted to know who you were mooning after this past few months,” Morrigan uttered dryly and he seriously considered asking Alistair to give her a hug in a grimy clothes again. She glanced back at Eve and her lips curled up in a dangerous smile.

“I hope your curiosity is sated then,” he rolled his eyes and tried to ignore how Leliana’s expression turned excited.

_Not now._

“Shall we go?” he focused on Eve to cheer her up a little, since she appeared a little distressed, and she bit her lower lip. “I’m not backing down, so just give up.”

“Maybe he just wants to get you alone somewhere,” of course Leliana struck. “Watch out. He’s smoother than he looks.”

“Thank you,” he glared at her unhappily and she winked like she just helped him to win an award and didn’t make him look like a complete creep.

“Maybe I want to get him alone somewhere as well,” Eve spoke up suddenly and Leliana _ooh’d_ like she heard a juicy gossip she could hide in her secret tomb.

“Maybe _you_ should be careful then, Cullen,” she patted him on his shoulder and Cullen rather started walking towards the exit.

His goddamn co-workers were bunch of lunatics. Well, maybe except of Cassandra, she seemed uninterested in the proceedings.

 _Bless her_.

***

“I feel like a jerk for making you do this,” she mumbled while walking behind him, and it was downright adorable. He understood the reluctance – it wasn’t like they were a long term friends or anything. But doing this for her was the least he could do, he just didn’t know how to explain for her to feel at ease.

“I’m glad I can help you,” he said without looking back, spotting his car in the midst of snowy rubbles. He pulled her luggage to the back of it and opened the boot to hide it there. “I swear it’s no hardship. You actually saved me from the drunk hell.”

“I thought it was supposed to be fun,” she opposed, but there was amusement in her voice.

“After they all pass out and I’d make a photo of them lying on the table or on the ground, yeah,” he glanced at her with a smirk. “Otherwise I’m not that big on it.”

“Not drinking at all?” she asked curiously and he opened doors for her. She seemed to hesitate, but then finally hopped in and he closed it after her, then circled the car and got in too.

“I do,” he shrugged like it was no big deal. “Just not as much.”

“Lucky me, I suppose,” she smiled and put on the seatbelt. “I’m still thinking how to make it up to you.”

“Not being mad at me works,” he started up the engine and she sighed.

“Like it’s possible to be mad at you.”

“You’d be surprised,” he smirked and left the parking lot with surprising ease with that amount of snow everywhere.

“I’d definitely be surprised,” she agreed teasingly and it was easy, like they were always this way, relaxed and joking with each other. He wondered how it was possible to feel about somebody like he knew them for years instead of few months? She was so easily lovable it was almost unreal.

“Cullen,” she called his name, and it sounded even nicer than over the phone. Her voice was slightly different, maybe even more mature, he didn’t know. He liked it though.

“Eve?” he returned the name calling easily, eyes on the road.

“Thank you,” she almost whispered.

“Don’t mention it,” he quickly looked at her, noticing her gazing at him with the most perfect smile he had ever seen, that it was difficult to look away again.

“Just so you know,” she spoke up again and he hummed. “My mother is probably not going to let you leave.”

“Is she going to imprison me in the tower and feed me until I’m ready for roasting?” he joked and she quietly laughed.

“You’ll see, I suppose,” she offered and let out a sigh. “Still better than my dad though.”

“I’m sure I’ll manage,” he assured her. “Since it’s for you.”

“Sweet talker.”

Yeah. He was definitely, hopelessly in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> All the snow we are missing moved to this story, in case you were missing the white stuff around.


	18. Long Road Ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Just wondering,” she said simply. “How come you’re not married?”  
> “Married?” he repeated the word like heard it for the first time in his life. “Is that mandatory while reaching a certain age?”  
> “What is certain age?” she tilted her head to the side and he shrugged.  
> “Two hundred and twenty seven, duh.”  
> “I thought it was two hundred and thirty. Since when it changed?” she faked a surprise and he made a non-comital sound like he was trying not to laugh.

Feeling guilty was a nasty way how to spend time, Eve knew that very well. There was a time when she at age of 8 didn’t eat her vegetable and threw it to the bin, lying that she ate it. She felt guilty after, even that her mother never found out. At age of 14 she felt guilty for telling a secret she was supposed to keep to one of her friends, and even though the friend never spread it more, the ugly feeling ate her for at least a month after anyway. At age of 20 she felt guilty for giving a fake number to a guy she met in a city. He was nice but her mother knew him and she had that rebellious streak in her to do the exact opposite of what her mum told her. So she faked the number and felt guilty for it right the moment she lost him from her sigh.  

She felt guilty now. It was half past nine in the evening and Cullen was sacrificing his free time and possible get-drunk-terribly option just to drive her into 5 hours distant Ostwick to get probably eaten alive by her snobbish family. At one point she hoped he would just leave her on a driveway to her house and disappear – for his own sake, but the other half of her (or maybe about 90% of her that was not feeling guilty for this enough but rather selfishly enjoyed the fact she just met a guy she crushed on for months and now was _alone_ in a car with him while he was obviously interested) kind of hoped he would refuse to leave and accompany her right to the house. There her mother would probably faint ( _you moved out AND brought a guy back?! Are you also pregnant?!),_ her whole distant family would ogle him (her cousins _might_ be a nice reason why having him there was a good idea, he was sinfully attractive and she was absolutely dazed and they could have that _what the hell, her with a guy like that?!_ expression on their faces) and her dad would ask him for his last name and then go to search for connections to see if he was at least wealthy. Because that was what her dad would do – not giving Eve to anyone who didn’t have money ( _ugh, dad, you’re pathetic and living in a stone age)._

“Your family is going to be mad,” she mumbled in an aftermath of her guilt. He always talked so nicely about his siblings and his parents that keeping him away like this was probably the main source why she regretted she let him do this.

“They are already mad,” he answered easily and she looked at him with worry. He probably should have been at their place by today already, which was why they were angry. “They just don’t have official papers for it. Everyone knows they belong to the mad house though.”

“Oh man,” she barked out a laugh, her worry dissipating and his lips curled into a smile.

To be completely honest, she didn’t expect him to look like a prince charming. When he was joking with being _hot enough for fulfilling a fantasy_ , he was definitely not lying about it. He was tall, very nicely built (she always thought all those _sexy_ calendars with firefighters were just a hoax – a models hired to wear the right clothes and show abs, but he was real and she was pretty sure he would be _perfect_ on the cover) and the nice amount of manly and handsome. Eve never really had _a type_ , but after meeting him she definitely had now, as shallow as it sounded.

In combination of him being completely impossible (fun, smart and polite) she could feel the nagging in the back of her head telling her _and you think you’re good enough for him?_

“Thinking of the answer to the meaning of life?” he interrupted her thoughts with amused voice and she quickly shook off the annoying theories and turned her head towards him.

“Just wondering,” she said simply. “How come you’re not married?”

“Married?” he repeated the word like heard it for the first time in his life. “Is that mandatory while reaching a certain age?”

“What is certain age?” she tilted her head to the side and he shrugged.

“Two hundred and twenty seven, duh.”

“I thought it was two hundred and thirty. Since when it changed?” she faked a surprise and he made a non-comital sound like he was trying not to laugh.

“Marriage,” he hummed. “Well, somebody has to be the black sheep of the family, no?”

“Tell me about it,” she chuckled and forced down the sudden need to reach out and touch his shoulder or run her fingers over his arm. What was wrong with her and the need of contact? She was never really this touchy feely before.

“Not to mention,” he continued while turning right as the signs showed him to. “Marriage should be with somebody you feel they are the right person, no?”

“And you never met the right person?” she moved to her side, facing him fully. She knew they talked about it before, a little. That he told her _she_ felt like the one. But it wasn’t about marriage, more like about… fondness.

“For marriage? Not before, no,” he answered smartly and cleared his throat. “Both Mia and Branson are quite happily married. If I broke the tradition and married somebody I didn’t completely adore, they’d never forgive me. I’d get disinherited. Maybe even _cursed_.”

“Spooky,” she giggled, enjoying this far too much. His voice was so soothing and gentle. When she saw him smiling, her heart skipped a beat every time. “Does Mia have any kids? I know you said your brother has a son.”

“Mia doesn’t have any yet,” Cullen responded with a shrug. “Her husband is quite busy now, so they are waiting. Although I don’t think she’d be able to wait much longer, she always wished for a daughter.”

“What if it’s going to be a boy?” she suggested.

“That’s probably a conversation you should have with _her_ ,” he glanced at her with a smirk. “I don’t really know what kind of intentions she’d have with a son. Maybe a sacrifice?”

“I hope at least for something really good,” she sighed. “Like eternal beauty or unlimited chocolate supplies.”

“Nice to see your priorities are in order,” he laughed and it was a really pleasant sound. Was it wrong she wanted to curl on his chest like a cat? Yeah, it probably was.

She watched a road for a moment, with snow hitting their front window and the darkness engulfing them, and wondered if Cullen actually would do this for a random stranger, just because the previous driver had been drunk.

“If you didn’t know it was me,” she asked, since the curiosity was too big to leave it be. “Would you still drive me all this way to Ostwick?”

“I offered without knowing it was you, didn’t I?” he answered simply.

“I thought you were being polite,” she pointed out. “Or said it because you didn’t know it was in Free Marches and not Ferelden anymore.”

“No, not really,” he shrugged. “You looked distressed and I didn’t want you to take a chance and ride with a drunk person.”

“But Free Marches,” she reminded him. “On a day before Christmas. For somebody you didn’t even know?”

“I feel like it’s a trick question,” he chuckled and she alone didn’t really know what she wanted to hear from him. That she was special? Maybe she was really just selfish.

“I’m just trying to understand why are you being so nice to me,” she mumbled. “You won’t meet many selfless people anymore.”

“I’m definitely not selfless,” he said with a small smile. “And not going to pretend I did it from the goodness of my heart only.”

“Is that so.”

“Mhm.”

“Well, Leliana warned me,” she declared and Cullen sputtered a curse.

“Not like _that_ ,” he groaned and she snickered. He was so easy to tease. “I just meant… oh god, I can’t even explain without sounding like a creep.”

“I doubt you’d sound like a creep,” she opposed. “So tell me.”

“It’s just…“ he sighed in exasperation and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve wanted to talk to you a bit more.”

“We are talking all the time.”

“Personally,” he added quietly. “I know it’s stupid.”

“It’s not stupid,” she assured him softly. She had the same feeling and it was probably a reason why she agreed for him to drive her in the end. Normally she would never jump into a car with a stranger just because Hawke couldn’t go a day without alcohol. But with Cullen… he was not a stranger. No matter she saw him for the first time, he just wasn’t. It was like she knew him face to face all this time – only with the bonus of realizing he was not just nice to talk to, but also a reward to look at (yes, sue her).

“You know what is stupid though?” she looked out of the window again with a huff and he made an inquiring noise in the back of his throat. “Hawke is. I mean, he promised. I don’t know if he has a memory spawn of a goldfish, but this was really a low blow.”

“Ah,” he voiced out. “I believe there was something about a break up that made him drink to be honest.”

“A break up?” she looked back at him with wide eyes. She knew he had a new person to admire, but a break up this early? He usually lasted at least four to five months.

“I haven’t really been listening that well,” he shrugged. “He had been talking to Varric. Said something about somebody dumping him.”

“Somebody _dumped him_?” she repeated in shock. That never happened – Hawke was always the first to end it. People dating him had been mesmerized by his personality and charisma and it was usually him who got bored and broke it off after time.

“I don’t remember the name,” Cullen mumbled. “Started with F I believe. Faris?”

“I wouldn’t know anyway,” she sat straighter, her mind reeling. “Oh man. He got dumped before Christmas? That’s harsh.”

“He seemed bummed when he came in,” Cullen confirmed her suspicion. “So Varric offered him a drink. I suppose he didn’t know about the driving deal either and Hawke just drank.”

Eve bit her lower lip and had to admit there _was_ a reason for the man to drink in that case. He rarely told her about his new conquests, so even this new lover had been a mystery to her, but it seemed like karma got him good for all the broken hearts he left behind. She still felt sorry for him though.

“Is it unusual?” Cullen asked after a while and she glanced at him in a silent question. “For him to get dumped I mean.”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “I mean, he dates a lot, but it’s him who dumps people, not the other way around. He gets bored fast with everything – even people, sadly.”

“Sounds lonely,” he offered and she watched him from her seat quietly. “Not having at least one person that really knows you.”

“He has few really close friends he hasn’t ditched,” she pointed out. “Like me.”

“I didn’t mean just that,” he shook his head and she hummed.

“Like a long term lover?”

“Like a long term lover,” he agreed and then cleared his throat like he said something inappropriate. “Although not all the people need that for life, of course.”

“Probably,” she stated calmly. “Or maybe they do. But it didn’t work out. Like now for him.”

“Yeah.”

She buried herself deeper into the seat and wondered if Hawke was really in love this time. The deep love, the needy one that was making him silly and puppy like. She couldn’t really imagine him being that way – when he dated before he usually stayed above everything – that was why he was able to break it off so easily.

“Do you want to stop at the gas station?” Cullen interrupted her from her thoughts and she quickly looked around. “There is one about two minutes from here.”

“Would be cool,” she nodded tiredly. “Need to pee.”

He hummed and when the station appeared in front of them, he turned to it and stopped to refill the gasoline.

The whole place was quiet, dark and snowy and when she finally found the toilet, she got almost blinded by the sharp light that switched on by her movement. Her reflection in a mirror greeted her with an unflattering image of dishevelled hair and crumpled clothes and she groaned at it.

 _What a pretty lady_ , she thought bitterly.

Any attempts to smooth her hair somehow seemed unsuccessful, so she let it be and hoped Cullen was always too busy to look at the road and not at her.

Or maybe he didn’t even care.

She found him again near the car with a cup of steaming coffee and when she walked closer, he handed her another one. It was warm and smelled sweet and she chuckled when she realized it had been hot chocolate.

“Sweet tooth,” he smiled at her.

“You remember.”

She was reaching his chin. When they were standing next to each other, she felt small but definitely not intimidated. He looked a little tired though and the guilt returned in full force.

“Sorry for this,” she opened the subject again and he raised an eyebrow.

“People usually say this before stabbing the other in the stomach,” he pointed out but the corner of his mouth twitched up. “Am I going to be killed?”

There was a scar on his upper lip, she didn’t notice it before.

“We will see,” she joked with him, because it was hard not to. “I meant for the drive though.”

“I told you it’s fine.”

“You look tired,” she protested against his _fine_ excuse.

“You’re stressing yourself without cause,” he assured her softly. The wind around them blew minutely, rewarding them with snowy curtain. She felt the cold fighting its way under her coat and shivered. The hot chocolate helped a bit, so she drank it fast and then ditched the cup into the nearby trash bin. Before her thoughts caught up with her, she returned back to Cullen and leaned into him, locking him in a hug and buried her face into his chest. He didn’t even hesitate while hugging her back immediately and swayed her from side to side.

“I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” she whispered into his jacket and heard him hum. “And I’m also pretty cold.”

“I’ve figured,” he chuckled and rubbed her arms in a warming gesture. She felt like they should go back to the car, but she just didn’t want to let go of him and judging from his content sigh, he was of the same mind set.

“Eve,” his voice rumbled from deep of his chest and she felt it in her inner core.

“Hmm?”

“I-.” There was a sharp tone that sliced the air and it took her a moment before she realized it had been her phone that decided to ruin this whole thing. She cursed and Cullen let go of her, and she already felt at lost when he stepped away and let her search her coat for the small device. One glance at the display and she rolled her eyes.

“My mother,” she uttered dryly and Cullen made few more steps away like he wanted to give her privacy. She wanted to tell him not to, but the insistent melody forced her to answer it instead.

“Where are you!”

Not that she didn’t expect it.

“It’s already half past eleven; you said you’d be here at ten!” She sounded angry and Eve felt the same emotion coursing through her, especially when she noticed Cullen being all embarrassed and looking everywhere but her.

“I’m on my way,” she said as calmly as she could. “There were complications.”

“What complications?” then there was worry in her mother’s voice. “What happened?”

“Had to stop on a gas station to get married,” she sighed and Cullen cleared his throat and circled the car like he couldn’t disappear fast enough.

“Evelyn-,”

“On my way,” she informed her again and hung up. She had an urge to bang her head over the car, or maybe the wall of the gas station, just to show how frustrated she was. Instead of it she took four deep breaths and climbed back into the car where Cullen had already been sitting.

“Sorry,” she apologized quietly, searching his face for any bad emotion. “She always has the best timing.”

“Evidently,” he smiled instead, although it had been rather shy, and started up the engine. “Can’t blame her for being worried though.”

“Yeah.”

She wanted to say something, anything, but just couldn’t find the right words, so she remained quiet. They spent about twenty minutes in complete silence – not unpleasant, she had to note that, but it was silence nevertheless, and it made her think.

Cullen had been that type of old-fashioned guy, she thought. The one that opened the door for you, the one that would send you a dozen of red roses just because and fifty of them on the anniversary. The guy who would treat his special someone with utmost care and respect.

She never met anyone like him in her whole life. It was like being an amazing, lovable man was out of fashion, and usually guys were jerks and the whole concept of cherishing a woman had been a sci-fi for them. No wonder girls weren’t cherishing them back.

But Cullen… how was he even real?

“I don’t think I deserve you,” she mumbled to herself sleepily while watching him and noticed how he took a sharp breath and his hands gripped the wheel more firmly.

“That’s not for you to decide,” came a reply. “Because I’m already yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> They are maybe halfway, lol.


	19. The Destination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “She took it surprisingly fine,” Eve mumbled and glanced at Cullen with a shy smile. “I guess she thinks we are involved though, I guess you’re aware.”  
> “Seemed that way,” he agreed, since her mother’s eyes were curious when she was watching him. “But I’ve expected questions.”  
> “They will come later,” she told him with a shrug. “When you least expect it. Don’t worry about it.”

The night was rich dark and the snow was now falling heavily from the sky. Cullen kept his eyes on the road and his heart was beating like a bell, loud and clear and little panicked. The momentarily tiredness that gripped him before they stopped at the gas station was now gone, replaced by a bubbling excitement and terror at the same time.

He could see Eve staring at him from her seat by the corner of his eye, and really, couldn’t he just keep his mouth shut?

“Already mine?” she chimed quietly and he cleared his throat. It was spontaneous when he heard her saying such a thing. He was captivated by her, she had to see that, right? And the more time they spent with each other, the more he felt like letting her go was impossible, that at least an hour more, or two, or day, or years or maybe forever would be sufficient for him to be sated.

“Cullen,” she said his name, demanding an explanation – and he understood, he really did, he just told her he fell for her so hard it would normally broke all the bones if his body, and now he couldn’t say a single thing to admit it.

“Yes,” he managed to get out of himself and he itched to stop the car and really look at her – like the conversation needed to be done in peace and quiet and with full attention of both of them. Even if it meant her telling him she didn’t feel the same way – knowing the situation was something he really wanted.

“Sorry,” he added a little quieter now and let out a sigh. “It was uncalled for at this point.”

“At this point?” she repeated and he heard confusion in her voice. He could imagine her eyebrows raised and head tilted, her red hair falling around her face in soft strands and pink lips parted, and it was a bad thing because it made him want to look even more now.

“We just met,” he tried to stay above it somehow, but was failing miserably. “And now we are in a car and I’m… I didn’t mean to push you into anything.”

“You didn’t push me into anything,” she refused the claim and he could see her move around, turning probably.

“Can we not have this conversation _now_?” he pleaded her a little desperately. “Driving and trying to focus on the road instead of you is getting a little difficult.”

“Sorry,” he heard her mumble and she settled back. “This is a mess.”

He gulped down loudly and gripped the wheel tighter. _Focus_.

“I’ve wanted to meet you for at least a month now,” her voice insisted to listen to it and he couldn’t fight it. The simple information said by it almost made him stop the car right the instant. “And now you’re telling me you’re…”

“Impatient and rushed?” he finished the sentence and she shook her head, or at least it looked that way.

“I suppose we should talk about it later after all,” she offered and he agreed – partly. Part of him wanted her to continue and tell him, but he was supposed to get her home in one piece and that could prove difficult if he wouldn’t focus on the snowy road properly.

“Good idea,” he commented to let her know his opinion and the silence engulfed them once more.

***

Eve fell asleep during the drive and she was quiet as a mouse. He stole several glances during the way, her calm face and fluttering eyelashes were the most rewarding thing he could see, and even threw his jacket over her as a blanket. It was almost a sin when he had to wake her up once they reached Ostwick and he didn’t know the way to her house, so he stopped at the edge of the road and gently nudged her.

“Eve,” he chanted her name softly and hesitantly touched her shoulder, then slid his hand to her arm. “Eve, we’re in Ostwick.”

The clock showed past 1 AM and the city looked like an ice kingdom, the snow sparkling under the moonlight and more of it slowly falling down, piling up. He couldn’t even guess which house could have belonged to her family, so there was no point in trying without Eve being awake and pointing him in the right direction.

She mumbled something and opened her eyes slowly. He could see the initial confusion in them, like she wasn’t sure where she was, until the understanding dawned on her and she scrambled up to sit properly, trying to smooth down the wild hair. When she noticed Cullen’s jacket that slid down to her knees, her lips curled up in a smile.

It was endearing.

“Ostwick?” she cleared her throat, looking sheepish. “Sorry, didn’t want to fall asleep…”

“I’m sure you needed it,” he comforted her anxiousness. “You just told me the most secret desires of yours, but otherwise you were quiet as the mouse.”

“Very funny,” she rubbed her eyes and then looked around. “Ah, it’s not far from here now. You can just drop me here if you want.”

“Drop you here?” he stared at her like she went mad. She had to – it was half past one in the morning, snow everywhere and she wanted to go through the city with a luggage alone? “Are you mad?”

“So they say,” she yawned and stretched. “I’m just saying. If you don’t want to fall into hands of my family-,”

“I’m not dropping you here even if they were dinosaurs,” he started the engine again and she chuckled.

“They sort of are with their stone age opinions,” she commented matter-of-factly and pointed at the roadway on the right side. “Turn right there and then it’s about ten minutes. You can’t miss it.”

He rather gulped down the fact ten minutes of a drive would take her by foot with a luggage much longer and therefore her initial plan was seriously bad, and just drove them where it was needed. The road had been nicely illuminated by lanterns, making Cullen feel like he appeared in an old medieval movie – he sort of expected a castle on the end of the way.

“I can’t say what’s going to happen when we arrive,” she said after several minutes of silence and sounded much more awake now. “I mean, there is a possibility some of them are still up.”

“And?” he glanced at her shortly and she seemed a little nervous.

“And you may fall a victim,” she fidgeted. “It’s nothing pleasant. Just wanted to warn you because I know them.”

“I’m sure I’ll manage,” he assured her. _Fall a victim_ , it was apparent she never met _his_ family. They would never let her go – not if they’d realize Cullen had been in love with her. His mother would probably plan a wedding right the moment she would find out. Not to mention his siblings… Well, Branson would probably be reasonable.

Probably. Since he became dad he got a lot softer.

But Eve was definitely a nervous wreck – the closer they got, the more fidgety she became, biting her lower lip and glancing at Cullen every five seconds like she wanted to tell him something, but didn’t know how. When they finally arrived to the house, she didn’t even move from her seat like she was scanning the scenery for intruders (or her own family).

“Well, you were right that I couldn’t miss it,” he tried to cheer her up, looking at the monstrosity before him. The house was _huge_. Not really the castle he expected, but it would probably could serve as a grand hotel and still have space for mountaineering expedition and then some. It was bright and very airy and he wondered how warm it could be inside with such construction and so much snow outside. Although he knew in Free Marches the snow wasn’t up for very long, so maybe they just suffered for a month or two with three pairs of socks and five sweaters and then everything was alright again.

“Yeah…” she whispered, but still didn’t look like she wanted to come out. Cullen wondered if it was because of the supposed bad relations with her family, or because she wasn’t sure how they were going to react to him.

Why even? He didn’t need to come inside of the house (in fact he didn’t plan on coming to the house, but she still acted like he had to and he didn’t know why it seemed as such a big deal. If she was afraid of the reaction of her family, it would be really easy for him to just drop her here, help her with the luggage, hop back to the car and drive off, right?).

“Are you alright?” he tried, now a little worried. “You seem distressed.”

“I am distressed,” she took a deep breath. “I left this place and they were angry. I don’t even know why I’m back now.”

“It’s Christmas,” he shrugged. “Everything is forgiven during Christmas, no? I’m sure they won’t be mad at you anymore.”

“They might not be,” she uttered. “But I still am.”

“Oh.”

Before he could add anything else, Eve took a sharp breath and Cullen realized the front terrace lit up brightly, just to show there was a figure approaching the car.

“The delegation arrived it seems,” he commented and she cursed quietly.

“Sorry,” she breathed out and if she didn’t look so anxious, he would laugh. Of course he didn’t know how her family worked – if it was like his own, the only danger would be having too much to eat and too many people to answer to while doing so.

Eve opened the door of the car and climbed out, still clutching Cullen’s jacket like it was her only safe point. He saw her shiver once the cold wind blew around her and he exited the car as well just to take the jacket from her hands and put it around her shoulders.

“You’re not going for an execution, Eve,” he touched her lower back gently to offer comfort. She leaned into him with a deep breath and the figure reached them. It was an older woman in a long, red bathrobe and with wavy hair that cascaded over her shoulders. He considered her Eve’s mother, since there definitely was similarity in their features.

“Finally,” the woman said and her eyes immediately shot to Cullen, looking him over. “What took you so long?”

“The snow slowed us down a bit,” he decided to answer when Eve only hmphed. “So I drove slower than I should I suppose.”

“I’m sorry, but who are you?” she watched him in wonder and before Cullen could answer with his name, Eve was faster.

“Cullen,” she said his name lightly. “He helped me to get here, because Hawke celebrated a bit too soon.”

“That should have been expected,” the woman scoffed and her eyes lingered on him in curiosity. At that point he realized he had been standing next to her daughter for a bit too long – and bit too close – so he was pretty sure she assumed the first thing anyone would.

“Well, are we going to stand here until the dawn and freeze or are you going to come to the house?” she turned around and without waiting walked back to the building, leaving them at the car.

They remained silent until she disappeared inside and then Eve groaned.

“Your mother, I assume?” he piped and she nodded.

“She took it surprisingly fine,” Eve mumbled and glanced at Cullen with a shy smile. “I guess she thinks we are involved though, I guess you’re aware.”

“Seemed that way,” he agreed, since her mother’s eyes were curious when she was watching him. “But I’ve expected questions.”

“They will come later,” she told him with a shrug. “When you least expect it. Don’t worry about it.”

“Do you want me to go with you then?” he asked because even though there had been an open invitation from her mother, he really didn’t know if Eve would appreciate it – and the last thing he wanted was to make her embarrassed.

“Yes,” she replied without hesitation. “I’d like you to come with me, but… I really don’t want to keep you away from your family. I mean – you need sleep for sure, but once you set foot inside, there is a possibility she is going to chain you to the chair and won’t let you leave.”

“What a drama,” he chuckled and let go of her, albeit grudgingly, to take out the luggage from the boot of the car. “Good thing I actually changed. It would be awkward if I walked in in my uniform.”

“I think you’d actually get a much better acceptance, really,” she finally smiled and when he started walking towards the house, she followed him in light steps, taking him by his arm and leaning into him. “Cullen. You’re seriously a prince.”

“Of course, princess,” he laughed quietly. “You seriously need some sleep.”

“So do you,” she hummed. “Is it bad I want to cuddle next to you?”

“That’s not bad at all,” he pulled the luggage up the terrace and she opened the door fully for him to push it through. “I just hope your bed is big enough, I tend to sprawl around a lot.”

“I kick.”

“Lovely,” he faked a dramatic sigh and she giggled while closing the door behind him.

Once they were really going to breach the topic, he was afraid it was going to be explosive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> I expect cuddles!


	20. Wine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Have you eaten?” she stood up. “Cullen?”  
> Cullen blinked in surprise and cleared his throat before telling her he was fine.   
> “So you haven’t,” she concluded simply and pointed at the sofa. “Sit down.”  
> “I’m really fine-,” he tried to stop her, Eve could see how he got a little desperate over it, but her mother was already out of the door and if she heard him, she decided to ignore it.   
> “Just sit down,” Eve nudged him gently towards the couch. “She wouldn’t take no as an answer anyway.”

The house smelled like sweets and cinnamon and it hit Eve with the right amount of nostalgia. Not that she hadn’t been here for _years_ , but four months were still a chunk of a time she felt dearly now, in the smell, in the colours, in the creaking floor in the hallway. It hadn’t changed a bit.

“It feels a little like a museum,” Cullen commented behind her and she had to agree. Her father was a passionate collector of weapons – swords, maces, bows – and he _loved_ to have it on display. Sometimes she thought he had been rather obnoxious about it, but it was still better than stuffed heads of animals.

“My father’s hobby,” she mumbled and shed Cullen’s jacket, putting it on the rack, along with her coat. “He loves being flashy.”

“No doubt about that,” he seemingly agreed when he stopped at the collection of blades and gazed at them appraisingly.

 _Men_.

The house was quiet and everyone hopefully asleep when they walked through the hallway and into the living room which was the only place lit up. She wasn’t surprised when she found her mother there, sitting on a white couch with a mug in her hands, looking at them over the rim like they just robbed a bank and she caught them red handed.

“It took you long enough,” she gave them both an unhappy look. “Thought you got lost on your way from the car.”

“I was just mentally preparing him for you all,” Eve rolled her eyes and wasn’t even surprised when her mother scoffed and put the mug down.

“Have you eaten?” she stood up. “ _Cullen_?”

Cullen blinked in surprise and cleared his throat before telling her he was fine.

“So you haven’t,” she concluded simply and pointed at the sofa. “Sit down.”

“I’m really fine-,” he tried to stop her, Eve could see how he got a little desperate over it, but her mother was already out of the door and if she heard him, she decided to ignore it.

“Just sit down,” Eve nudged him gently towards the couch. “She wouldn’t take no as an answer anyway.”

Her mother was always a person who thought of the stomach first – and Eve considered it was a weird thing until she got older. Food was a brilliant mood breaker – who wouldn’t be happy while getting fed? Unless it was something he was allergic to or disliked it to the death.

Cullen sat down, but looked like he wasn’t very excited by the idea, his brows furrowed and mouth in a tight line. Eve sat next to him with a small smile, and when he seemed to relax a little, she curled near him and felt his arm sliding around her shoulders and pulling her closer to his larger frame. He was warm and gentle and pretending there was nothing between them was useless and stupid, especially now when she was tired and he was _there_.

“You’re warm,” she told him quietly while resting her head on his shoulder and Cullen chuckled. “I may fall asleep.”

“You shouldn’t, your mother is going to bring food and I’m socially awkward and need help interacting,” he told her in amusement and Eve smirked. Socially awkward? God, he was probably the most chivalrous person she ever met.

“You’re doing great,” she opposed with a lazy smile. “She didn’t say anything bad even on the second try. That’s saying something.”

“She does normally?”

“She usually comments on age difference, height difference or health status,” she yawned. Eve wasn’t really big on dating, but she had few _attempts_ her mother always had to comment on somehow – _in front of them_.

One was about the same height Eve was and her mum uttered dryly at the first meeting: “Doesn’t it bother you she’s going to look down on you once she wears heels? How degrading.” (he didn’t try and get a second date after).

The second was from Antiva, sun kissed and with fair hair, and her mother greeted him with: “How old are you? Forty?” (he was 26 and called her mum _a hag_ ).

The third was pale and tall and little broody and at her mum called him a vampire and offered him a good doctor. Eve dated him for about a month before she fell under her mother’s spell and stopped fancying him. She felt guilty about it for another month.

“Sounds harsh,” he mumbled and his hand started to run through her hair. “Your hair is a mess.”

“ _You_ are harsh,” she groaned. “You’re supposed to tell me I look cute despite that.”

“It looks like a bird’s nest,” he continued calmly and the feather-like touches were sending shivers down her spine. “From red leaves during autumn.”

“How poetic,” she hummed, tilting her head so he could reach on the side, comb it back. “Red leaves. Why not radish?”

“That would sound like you have a vegetable salad on your head,” he opposed with a quiet laugh and his hand dropped down, back to her shoulder.

“Don’t stop,” she whined and snuggled closer to him. If it wasn’t too bold, she would probably end up on his lap in seconds. Her mum could get a heart attack though and Cullen maybe too, so she stayed put. Once she would be fully awake, she would be too embarrassed she did it anyway.

“So bossy,” he commented gently and resumed the petting like she was a cat that meowled loud enough to get his attention.

“She always had been,” a sudden interruption made her flinch slightly until her mother reappeared in the doors, carrying a tray and giving them both a weird look. Cullen’s hand stopped moving, but he didn’t put it away, he just sat a little straighter as if to greet her.

“Since she was a kid,” Eve’s mother continued and set the tray on the table. “It was an attitude we couldn’t get rid of.”

“It runs in the family,” Eve uttered, but refused to move away just to give her satisfaction to be more _proper_.

She wondered if the bitterness of moving out without their support was ever going to disappear, but so far it festered in her without any means to stop. Her mother didn’t seem very impressed though, she just crossed her arms on her chest.

“Can you come with me for a moment, Evelyn?” she said in an evened tone and Eve’s grip on Cullen’s arm she had been holding got stronger. She was going to be yelled at, she could tell.

“ _Please_ ,” her mother added and turned around to leave. When Cullen cleared his throat while Eve didn’t move, she realized it was a childish thing to do to just ignore her in front of him, so she got up and walked after her in slow pace, glancing at the blond man with a shy smile. When she got one in return, she felt a little better about it – although not about the fact her mother was definitely going to tell her something nasty about the situation.

She found her in the kitchen where only one light was illuminating it, hiding in a corner. There were plates with cookies and sweets prepared all over the desk, bottles of red wine ready to be opened, and it looked like for an enormous banquet. With Christmas dinner being an actual festive thing in Trevelyan family, it sort of fitted.

“Yes?” she broke the silence, watching her mum standing at the sink while washing a glass she probably drank from just a minute ago. “Look, I’m sorry I’m this late, but I almost didn’t arrive at all if Cullen didn’t drive me here-,”

“Is he staying for dinner?” her mum interrupted her and put the clean glass aside, stopped water and turned back to her daughter.

“I don’t know?” Eve blinked in surprise. Of course she would love him to stay, especially because letting him go now would probably made her pining like crazy, but she couldn’t possibly ask him to ditch his family on Christmas, could she? Not to mention spent it with people he never saw before and who were going to judge him like on an executioner’s bench.

“Well, then tell him he is,” her mum walked towards the wine area. “Is he drinking the red wine? Or white? I need to accommodate, go ask him.”

“Mum, I don’t think he’s staying,” she tried to delude her somehow without her going to bother him, but it didn’t look like it worked. “His family is waiting for him-,”

“Is he married?” another question that made Eve shut up with wide eyes. It was resolute and her mother looked like the answer was a matter of life and death. “I seriously hope you haven’t got yourself involved with a married man. I’d never forgive you breaking somebody’s family and you know that.”

“He’s not married!” she hissed, the terror gripping her. “Why would you even think I would-,”

“Well, he’s handsome,” a simple statement came, making Eve quiet down again. “Seemed polite and genuinely liking you. But you never told me about him. Seems like you want to keep him a secret, so the fact he’s married and you’re trying to hide it is one of the things that naturally occurred to me.”

“He’s not married,” Eve repeated with a calmer voice now. Her mother liked him from the first hello? That was an unusual thing, maybe even worth opening a bottle of champagne. “And yes, he’s handsome and polite.”

Because he was.

Her mother watched her quietly for a moment and then took a step closer, curiosity shining in her eyes.

“Is he from Ferelden?” she asked in a hushed tone and Eve held the laugh. Her mother was _dying_ to know and it was _hilarious_. “Where did you even met him?”

 _Online_ , she wanted to say, but stopped herself. It would only make her mum recover the initial interest and she didn’t want to give Cullen a target on his back. They didn’t need to know – especially when they thought online relationships were not meant to work and people were only creeping there.

“On a party,” she answered instead – and it wasn’t a complete lie. She literally did meet him on party – personally. The fact she knew him for four months already without knowing how he looked like was another thing.

“You?” her mom raised an eyebrow. “On a party?”

“Hawke insisted,” not a lie either. So what it was today. Or, well, yesterday.

“Hawke,” her mum scoffed and fine, yeah, Eve knew she never really liked Hawke that much, thought of him as a _bad influence_. But he was also some kind of an oblivious matchmaker – at first getting her to the game where she met Cullen, and then to the party where she met him personally, all that without knowing he actually helped.

“Alright,” her mother waved her hand and then pointed at the door. “Go ask him if he stays.”

“Mum…”

“Imagine Aunt Lucille…” her mum chuckled. “She still thinks you’re a lesbian, this would shut her up.”

“Oh my god.”

***

When she walked back to the living room, she stopped right at the door. Cullen was asleep, the poor guy, still sitting there, the food untouched. He must have been terribly tired, she thought, and quietly padded towards him while thinking what to do. Waking him seemed cruel, but she couldn’t let him sleep there, could she.

She noticed her mum peeking inside of the room and then clearing her throat to point up.

“Your room is free,” she whispered towards them. “Try to be quiet there, would you? There are small kids sleeping in the next room.”

“Mum!” she frowned at the remark unhappily, but her mother just shrugged and retreated to the hallway, hopefully going back to sleep before Eve could strangle her. The more she thought about him staying, the less confident she was it was a good idea.

“Cullen,” she approached slowly and put her knee on the sofa next to him. “Come on, come to the bed. Sleeping here would make you hate the world tomorrow.”

“Mhhm?” he moved slightly, his head lolling to the side and his eyes fluttered open. “Wha…?”

“Bed,” she repeated. “Don’t sleep here.”

“I’ve just wanted to rest my eyes a little…” he mumbled and sat straighter, looking terribly sleepy and absolutely adorable, like a puppy that just got woken up. The words were a little slurring together, making his voice gruff and all velvety.

“I know,” she smiled, gently running her fingers through his messy hair. It was like a natural gesture, like she was doing it all the time, even though she never did and they knew each other like this for so short. It should have felt bizarre, she thought, but it didn’t.

He caught her hand there and let out a soft sigh.

“Am I still dreaming?” he asked quietly and his touch was hot and searing, and she could feel the warmth traveling from her hand to the rest of her body. He watched her so adoringly it made her throat tighten and chest hurt.

“No,” she whispered and the silence was deafening, only interrupted with the sound of her wildly beating heart. She wondered if it was as loud as she thought, if he heard it. Her hands shook and the butterflies in her stomach were swarming in huge numbers, making her breathless and shivering.

He watched her for a moment, like he was searching for something, and then his grip eased off and he let go completely, giving her a small smile.

“Maybe we really need some sleep,” he concluded in a low voice and she dazedly nodded.

She definitely needed new sanity as well.

***

Her room was definitely renovated. She moved almost everything to Denerim, so she left it empty, and her parents decided to make it habitable again. It took her a while to recognize the place and even thought of returning back to the hallway to check if she really picked the right doors.

They apparently bought a new bed, wider than hers _thank you very much_ , new wardrobes and curtains, and it actually looked like a guest room now and not a kingdom of hers _I don’t care how it looks in here_.

Definitely her mother’s influence, she was sure.

Cullen was standing awkwardly behind her, peeking over her shoulder, and at that point it finally hit her.

They were going to sleep in one bed. They had to sleep in one bed, all other rooms were occupied because her mother was thinking big and their family was probably half of the world and that meant there was this bed, them and few hours of precious sleep ahead.

“Looks narrow,” he commented when she remained standing there like a statue.

“It’s bigger than my own bed,” she said, immediately regretting it. He cleared his throat and shuffled around her, stopping at the window that showed the whole garden. She always liked the view.

“I can sleep on the floor,” he offered meekly, trying to look everywhere but her. “Or you know, on the sofa downstairs? I don’t really care, I’m able to fall asleep basically everywhere.”

“Don’t be daft,” she sighed and rubbed her eyes. “You drove for five hours and want to sleep on the floor? There is a perfectly available bed.”

“Yeah, but there is also perfectly available floor,” he insisted, pointing at the wooden planks they were standing on. “I really don’t want to make you uncomfortable-,”

“Cullen.”

“I told you I tend to sprawl around.”

“And I kick,” she reminded him with a chuckle, the tension slowly leaving her body. “And I asked for cuddling.”

“I thought you were joking,” he responded hesitantly.

“I never joke about cuddling,” she tried to lighten up the situation and finally received a quirk of his mouth in a small smile. “I don’t bite, really.”

“I might,” he opposed.

“Naughty,” the word slipped from her lips automatically and made him bark out a laugh.

“You sure?” he looked at the bed doubtfully and she nodded while walking to it and sat down. It was really soft and the mattress super high and she wondered in _what_ she should have been sleeping in. She couldn’t possibly strip to her underwear and expect Cullen not to jump out of the window in embarrassment. Or her jumping there on that matter.

She felt the mattress dip on the other side and then Cullen laughed.

“This reminds me of my grandmother’s bed,” he told her gently. “When we were visiting her and spending the night as kids, we always had to sleep in such bed, but before we always jumped on it like it was a trampoline, until she came up and scolded us for it.”

“All four of you?” she glanced at him, noting he was with his back to her, propping on his elbows against the sheets.

“All four of us jumped,” he sighed. “But normally me and Branson slept in another bed, because we were pulling girl’s ponytails.”

“Of course you did,” she smiled and quietly turned towards him fully while climbing on the bed like a cat.

“Eventually we broke the bed of course,” he added with a smirk. “Our parents gave us an earful.”

“And your grandma?” she slid under the covers and at least quickly took off the nylons. She didn’t need to wake up with thousands of holes in them right the first day.

“She said _kids_ ,” Cullen shrugged. “And that was it.”

“She wasn’t mad?”

“Not at all,” he finally looked at her and then quickly away. “But we never jumped on any other bed ever again.”

“At least it served as a lesson,” she pointed out and tried to hide the returning giddiness when he actually moved under the covers as well. The bed wasn’t small, they weren’t even touching when they both stayed on their sides, but the simple knowledge of him being there with her was enough.

He just hummed and lay down, staring into the ceiling, and she felt a little sorry for him, to be dragged into this just because he wanted to help out. She was pretty sure he had to feel awkward as hell.

“Is it awkward for you?” she asked quietly, turning her head towards him, and he took a deep breath.

“To be completely honest,” he started hesitantly. “No. It’s not. Which is probably weird.”

“I think it’s good,” she lay on her side, facing him. “I didn’t mean for all of this to happen.”

“I know.”

“I’ve wanted to plan it carefully,” she mumbled, watching how his chest was raising and falling. “Have the time and all before actually meeting you. Pick a place, talk and everything. And now this.”

“Do you regret it?” he looked at her too and he seemed nervous. Or maybe it was just her, since she could feel her heart in her throat already.

“No,” she replied honestly. “Not at all.”

He smiled and she couldn’t get enough of it.

“It’s just,” she tried to explain somehow and felt the words pouring out of her like a flood. “We saw each other for the first time and suddenly you’re meeting my _whole_ family and my mother wants you stay on Christmas dinner – which means the whole Christmas – and I feel like you don’t deserve to be analysed over the stupid food – do you like red or white wine by the way? But you know, I told her it’s not up to me or up to her, because we can’t make you stay while your own family is expecting you and she looked adamant and I got hopeful and _please stop grinning_.”

“Sorry,” he chuckled and rolled on his side too, facing her with a wide smile. “You’re cute.”

“This is serious,” she reminded him with an attempt of sternness, but the expression he had didn’t disappear.

“You got hopeful,” he repeated one phrase she suddenly didn’t remember saying and she felt herself panic. Really? She said she got hopeful? What was wrong with her? “That I’d stay here over Christmas?”

“I don’t recall saying such thing.”

“I do,” he teased her. “Loud and clear.”

“You must be mistaken,” she assured him, but he didn’t budge.

“I like red wine,” he said simply.

“Do you?”

“If it’s not too sour.”

“I like white,” she informed him and her heart was trying to jump out of her chest now.

“Heathen,” he grinned and it was so playful she felt like melting. Did it mean he _was_ staying? That he _wanted to_?

“Are you staying then?” she blurted the question out before she would be too scared to do so and he hummed.

“If you want me to.”

“Yes,” she agreed without hesitation. “I really do.”

“Okay,” the word fell from his lips easily and that was it.

Her family was going to eat him alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> The bed adventures of the shy xD


	21. Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “That’s maybe what you can do,” she mumbled, taking a deep breath. “But all those guests usually know me since I was a baby and they’re not against asking me the most embarrassing questions when they catch me somewhere.”  
> “Like what?”  
> “Like are you married yet? Or how is your lesbian girlfriend doing?” she parroted them and Cullen snorted.  
> “Lesbian girlfriend?” Of course he caught the most interesting part and she rolled her eyes.

There were unfamiliar noises everywhere. The ticking he never heard before. The creaking he wasn’t used to anyone doing, since he lived alone. The muffled voices coming seemingly from all directions.

And the giggling.

It was probably that particular noise that woke him up fully in the end, enveloped by warmth and bright light coming from outside of the window. It took him a moment before he recognized the place – the wooden ceiling with overcomplicated chandelier, the heavy, azure curtains hanging around the window – and realized he had been in Ostwick and by a miracle actually fell asleep.

Another set of giggles alarmed him and he quickly looked towards the source – an opened door with several peeking heads from behind it, mostly kids as he managed to recognize before the door shut closed, causing movement on his right side.

At that point the rest of the situation dawned on him, especially when he glanced in the right direction and saw the red flood of hair resting on his shoulder, and felt an arm slung around his waist.

 _Eve_.

He wasn’t entirely sure _how_ he fell asleep with her by his side, being far too much aware of her presence, the soft breathing, the occasional mumbling and surprisingly _no_ kicking whatsoever. There was, in the end, a massive amount of cuddling though – after she fell asleep. At first she stayed on her side of the bed – and he on his – but since he woke up in such position, he was pretty sure there had been lots of traveling around the mattress, and he was sincerely surprised he wasn’t sleeping right in the middle. He usually ended up like that at home.

For a moment he wasn’t sure what to do. If he tried to disentangle, he might wake her. If she’d stay asleep, going outside of the room meant meeting about half of the relatives who didn’t know about his presence.

Or they did, judging from the giggles before. And Eve’s mother probably didn’t stay silent either. The point still stood though – he wasn’t really comfortable with moving around without Eve, as stupid as it sounded.

He let out a sigh and Eve moved again, this time with a soft hum, until she actually opened her eyes. It took her a moment too, judging from her lazy start, but when she realized she had been lying atop of him, he probably never saw anyone move so fast as her when she sat up, looking momentarily panicked.

“Morning,” he offered a small smile and scrambled to a sitting position too. His back hurt slightly and there was a cramp in his right arm, but otherwise he felt well rested.

Eve stared at him for a moment, her hair wild and eyes confused, until she barked out a laugh and hid her face in her hands.

“Oh my god, I slept _atop_ of you?” she wheezed and Cullen let out a tiny shrug.

“At least you didn’t kick.”

“Oh thank god,” a relief washed over her face and then she was climbing out of the bed and dragging the skirt down as low is it could go to hide her bare legs. Cullen politely averted his eyes, but it wasn’t as easy as he thought it should be.

“The house is already so loud,” she grumbled while reaching for her nylons, dressing back up. “I’m surprised nobody barged in yet, pulling us out of the bed.”

“Well, some kids found it amusing,” he remembered the giggling and she stopped mid-move.

“Kids?” she repeated, glancing at him unhappily, and Cullen shrugged while getting up as well and glanced out of the window. There were already several children there too, building snowmen, and he wondered how many people could there be in total when it already looked like kinder garden outside.

“We will never live it down,” she let out a tired sigh and stood up. He could see her scowl when she looked at her crumpled clothes and he had to admit he was in a similar state, since they both slept fully clothed. “Oh well. Mandatory breakfast now. What time is it?”

He looked at the wall clock that ticked the whole night menacingly and found out it was actually a very harmless looking object, despite the devious noise they were doing.

“Half past nine,” he told her simply. “Is it too late?”

“It’s fine,” she walked towards the door and reached for a handle. For a moment it looked like she didn’t have the strength to actually open it and face the family and Cullen chuckled at her unhappy expression.

“It’s going to be okay,” he assured her. “Just act like you’re on a vacation and they’re only guests in the same hotel.”

“That’s maybe what you can do,” she mumbled, taking a deep breath. “But all those guests usually know me since I was a baby and they’re not against asking me the most embarrassing questions when they catch me somewhere.”

“Like what?”

“Like _are you married yet_? Or _how is your lesbian girlfriend doing?_ ” she parroted them and Cullen snorted.

“Lesbian girlfriend?” Of course he caught the most interesting part and she rolled her eyes.

“My great-aunt Lucille is a bit delusional,” she waved her hand. “I think she means Isabella, but who knows.”

“Your lesbian ex-girlfriend?” he teased her and when she opened the door, he knew he well-earned the deadly glare she gave him.

“Be careful,” she pointed at him with a sweet smile. “I can tell her _you_ are the lesbian girlfriend. Just decided you wanted to be a man instead. The questions would be _infinite_.”

“Sorry,” he raised his hands in a placating gesture. “I’d rather pose as a stranger you caught somewhere and threatened him to drive you to Ostwick while holding a gun at his head.”

“What a drama,” she stuck her tongue at him and then yelped and almost leaped to his arms when two little kids rushed past her, laughing like crazy and then disappeared in another room.

“This is a ZOO,” she concluded bitterly. “As every Christmas.”

Cullen had to agree, but it was still more amusing for him than it probably was for her.

***

It was a miracle they managed to get to the bathroom and downstairs in such a short time, taken how many people were present and how many could be in a dire need of using the second-floor bathroom at the same time.

Eve managed to change clothes there as well, choosing a nicely fitting jeans and black shirt that showed her bare shoulders and Cullen told himself that staring at this point would be highly inappropriate – given the circumstances of relatives being a bit too watchful.

“Well, look who woke up,” a familiar voice greeted them in the dining room and Eve’s mother was sitting there with several other people with food and cups of coffee or tea, seemingly almost done with their breakfast. Cullen didn’t feel hungry at all, his habit not to eat in the mornings was a bit too strong, but when Eve’s mother pointed at free spots at the table, he followed Eve for the good measure anyway.

“Slept well, Cullen?” the first question got aimed right at him and he found himself under the stares of several females, watching him in curiosity. They were younger than Eve’s mum, but older than Eve herself, and he considered them cousins or somebody similar.

“Noticing how she always addresses you but not me?” Eve nagged a little and Cullen cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Slept perfectly, thank you,” he assured the woman with a small smile, noting how Eve grinned at him wickedly.

“Sarah,” Eve’s mother added helpfully. “I see you struggling with the addressing issue.”

“First name basis already? Mum, aren’t you a bold one,” Eve piped with vengeance and Cullen considered pinching her side to hush her a little. “Poor Cullen.”

 _Sarah_ didn’t really react to her, but he could see the warning quirk of an eyebrow she aimed at her daughter.

“Sarah,” he addressed her hesitantly and she gave him a wide smile. At least it wasn’t as bad as Eve made him believe – her mother was actually a pleasant person.

“I’m Lotharn,” another female at the table spoke. She was an elegant, dark haired woman, probably around her thirties, with red lips and hypnotic eyes. “If there are to be any introductions. I wasn’t aware Evelyn was going to bring a partner with her.”

It was clearly aimed at his companion, and he heard Eve sigh.

“It was an unexpected decision,” he decided to calm the waters a bit, but Lotharn seemed even more captivated. “I was just at the right time in the right place.”

“I can imagine,” the woman leered and this time Eve groaned.

“Can you let him eat something?” she glared at Lotharn unhappily. “Or are your questions more important.”

“I was merely curious,” the woman shrugged with a mischievous smirk and it reminded him of Leliana so much that he felt shivers traveling down his spine. He still expected his colleague to do something the next time he was going to see her, and that expectation wasn’t giving him any joy.

“I never really understood why you moved to Ferelden out of all places you could go to, but at least now I know the reason,” Lotharn added like it was a completely innocent statement and Cullen almost choked on the coffee he managed to pour himself and bring it to his lips before the bomb dropped.

“Not that I blame you,” another of the women wiggled her eyebrows and it felt like the visit at Mia’s place all over again. For a while he pondered the idea of dropping to the floor on one knee and propose to Eve so they’d shut up from the shock but that could make Eve drop as well, and not in the good way.

“Ladies,” Sarah thankfully was faster than him or any other weird thoughts he could have. “Leave the poor souls relax, they have a long trip behind them and I’m sure the kids were trying to wake them up since 5 in the morning. Right, Khendra?”

“They are used to rise early,” the one with the eyebrows uttered and Cullen remained quiet on that notion. They woke him up around nine the earliest, but they didn’t need to know that. He was grateful when Sarah offered them a look at her new porcelain set (of what…?) and they finally left them alone.

Or alone as it was possible in the noisy house. It felt more like home, Cullen thought. They were loud as well even though there was definitely less of them.

“I’m sorry.”

He turned back to Eve and she seemed more upset than he ever saw her (and yes, alright, he hadn’t seen her that many times to actually be able to compare, but the point still stood).

“For what?” he nudged her gently. “Having an amusing bunch of relatives?”

“You mean nosy,” she pointed out, but he shook his head with a smile.

“This is _nothing_ in comparison to the vultures that calls themselves my siblings, don’t worry,” he touched her shoulder tentatively, not really sure if it was welcomed in a house where even walls had eyes. He couldn’t tell where he stood, since Eve wasn’t really denying or agreeing on anything exact in front of anyone – and nor did he. How could he anyway, the talk hadn’t occurred and as much as he knew they enjoyed each other’s company, assuming never did any good (or maybe did, somewhere to somebody… possibly).

“You haven’t seen the worst of it yet,” she mumbled, but her expression turned softer. “How come you’re so calm about this?”

“I only scream internally,” he deadpanned and she barked out a laugh. “I’m leaving the external expression of emotions for your great-aunt. She may be in shock when she learns I’m the lesbian girlfriend.”

“You’re the best lesbian girlfriend I’ve ever seen,” she chuckled and shortly touched his hand. It was a fleeting contact, but it burned into his skin, made him itch to touch as well. “Don’t tell Dorian though.”

“Is he a lesbian?” he tilted his head in a question and she hummed.

“He’s a queen of lesbians,” she nodded while reaching for a cookie. It was a chocolate chipped one and she was immensely adorable with her love for sweets. “I’m pretty sure he’d appreciate the view too.”

“Of lesbians.”

“Of you,” she nudged him with her knee, smiling loosely. “We usually have the same taste in men.”

“Too bad I can’t say the same,” he shrugged, but the words stayed within him. Dorian would appreciate the view because he and Eve had the same taste in men? The acknowledgement she actually fancied him was embarrassingly pleasing.

“Have you called your family?” she suddenly asked and it cut the thoughts in half.

“Oh damn,” he groaned. The grim responsibility to actually tell them he was not coming home for Christmas… he considered the text the least painful way, but Mia would skin him alive the next time she would see him. He was not risking that.

Eve seemed apologetic and as a gesture of consolation she pushed a plump looking desert towards him. It was last of its type on the table and he felt like she just made an ultimate sacrifice.

She probably didn’t really understand why he laughed over a piece of food.

***

“Are you kidding me?”

“No.”

“Cullen,” Mia’s voice had been lower than usual and it meant danger. He kind of believed she would be able to strangle him just by the power of her will – or maybe there would be a hand appearing through the phone that would do the trick.

“Look, I’m sorry,” he paced around the living room and barely noticed there had been several figures passing around or stopping to look at him. Eve left him deal with the unhappy responsibility after he told her he didn’t need her to second him in it, since it would mean her sister would… well. She would probably be able to drive all the way to Ostwick too, just to see her.

They didn’t need a tornado here as well.

“You’re sorry,” Mia repeated. “It’s Christmas, you’re not coming here, and you’re _sorry_?”

“Something came up.” It wasn’t a lie.

“Like?” he could perfectly tell what kind of expression she made and how her body language looked. It was like there had been a TV with a live feed.

“A friend needed a ride,” not a lie either, “and the previous driver had been drunk.”

“So you, the martyr, just took the car keys and played a taxi driver.”

“It’s Christmas.”

“What a charitable guy!” He hated that tone.

“Look, her family expected her and I couldn’t just let her beat the guy to death, could I?” he sighed and at the right exact moment he did he realized his mistake.

“…she?” Mia caught it as well.

_Oh god._

“…yes.”

“Cullen,” Mia sounded giddy now. It was him who wanted to strangle her in exchange. “Are you quitting your _hermit phase_?”

“Mia,” he warned her, but the excited squeal stopped him from giving any real threat.

“He found himself a _girl_!” Another set of squeals.

_Oh god, Rosalie._

“Who is it!” that was Rosalie’s voice and it was almost as clear as if she was holding the phone instead. “Ask him!”

“Who-,”

“I heard her,” he stopped Mia from being overly excited about it and stopped pacing. “Can you just tell home I can’t come over today?”

“CULLEN WON’T BE COMING OVER TODAY!” He almost got deaf.

“Thank you…” he mumbled. He was pretty sure she shouted at them across the whole house, because Mia was always a loudmouth.

“WHAT!” As was his mother.

He waited for a moment, ready for another set of shouts and those came like an approaching storm.

“He found himself a girl!” his mum had to come closer, since Mia didn’t shout as loudly. “He’s spending it with _heeer_.”

“I hate you,” he told her with a groan and she did kissy noises, which made him want to hang up on her.

“Tell him to bring her here!” his mother immediately ordered and when Mia took a breath to tell him, his phone beeped and died.

“Huh,” he looked at the black screen. “Probably karma.”

And for him as well, since when he looked up, there was a tall man standing in front of him, and judging from his expression he wasn’t exactly pleased he saw him.

Cullen had a bad feeling he was Evelyn’s dad.

_Karma._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Karma is a bitch, they say :D (not to Cullen though, that sweet stud-muffin :D)


	22. The Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “As my father would say,” she breathed in. “House of Trevelyan and House of Pavus are very distantly related, but blood is not water. Dorian would add it’s so distant that we can still flirt.”  
> “Sounds like something he would say, yes,” Cullen agreed, chuckling. “Speaking of your father. He’s rather intimidating.”  
> “Yes, he definitely is,” she mumbled. “Please tell me he didn’t bother you with his weapon’s collection.”  
> “Among other things,” he shrugged. “I think he was trying to distinguish if I’m a threat or not.”

**Hawke – 13:33 –**

**Sorry, I know I’ve fucked up. You got there in time?**

**Evelyn – 13:35 –**

**Yeah, you did and yeah, I did. You okay, though?**

**Hawke – 13:37 –**

**‘fcourse I’m okay, why wouldn’t I be. Except of a minor manly headache I should survive. Varric is a beast and he brought something I don’t remember a name of, but he managed to get Leliana under the table. Hilarious.**

“So what is Cullen’s job?” her cousin Hannah asked over the tea and Eve almost missed her question how she was concentrating on Hawke’s messages.

“He’s a firefighter,” she mumbled absentmindedly, typing a reply. She was glad Hawke made himself known today, although she suspected he just woke up with a terrible hangover.

“A stripper kind of firefighter?” Hannah piped and Eve almost choked on her tea, bringing her to her lips at a wrong time. “Because I’d believe that.”

“A normal firefighter,” Eve glared at her, regretting dearly not staying at least in the same room with Cullen. Of course she wanted to give him privacy for the call, but there was hardly any in this house, no matter where would he go.

It was taking him pretty long as well. His family must have been furious and she felt really bad about it. She knew her mum would rage if she decided not to come for Christmas, how angry must have been his parents? Not that there needed to be the same amount of control Eve’s family was showing, but who knew.

**Evelyn – 13:40 –**

**I didn’t mean your alcoholic tendencies.**

**Hawke – 13:41 –**

**There is no such thing. I can’t believe you know them anyway.**

**Evelyn – 13:42 –**

**Your alcoholic tendencies? Of course I do know them, I’ve met them on several occasions.**

“I still think it’s hot,” Mina pointed out, looking suspiciously dreamy. “I wish my husband had been a firefighter. The uniform would suit him.”

Well, there _was_ a thing about uniforms. And Cullen definitely looked hot in one, hands down. Even though she didn’t know who he was at first, she already found him attractive, and adding his personality to this, it was making an explosive mix.

She wondered what were his bad habits, because it would be too good to be true, right?

“I doubt he’d be able to button it up over the melon he had instead of the belly,” Hannah grinned and Eve decided she had enough of those two for a lifetime, especially when they started to quarrel again, and rather sneaked away to search for her prince charming – or whoever her family thought he was.

Well, yeah, a prince.

**Hawke – 13:47 –**

**Aren’t you all sassy. Did Curly help you with that?**

She rolled her eyes. Naturally he had to nag about it. She stopped in the hallway to answer and almost got hit by kids running like horses through the place. She raised her voice at them, but they only giggled and disappeared.

**Evelyn – 13:50 –**

**Well, he did help with stuff you should have helped with, when we are at it, like a prince charming :P**

**Hawke – 13:55 –**

**I should have been your prince charming :(**

**Evelyn – 13:58 –**

**You’re his drunk cousin, I suppose.**

The first bad thing was Cullen’s absence from the living room when she arrived to the place. Not that she expected him to stay there like an obedient puppy, but the fact he wasn’t there made her a little worried. There could be anything happening – Lotharn catching him alone and showing him some Nevarra seduction technics, her mother trying to coax him into telling her more about their relationship, or basically _anyone_ in this house deciding to attack while he was alone and vulnerable.

Well, _vulnerable_. Too polite to decline, she would say.

She just hoped his family wasn’t angry enough for him to give up and rather drive back home.

He would tell her though… right?

**Hawke – 14:02 –**

**Eh. Brother at least, no?**

**Evelyn – 14:07 –**

**Whatever you say. So, how are you holding up?**

**Hawke – 14:10 –**

**Told ya I’m fine, just bit of a headache.**

**Evelyn – 14:12 –**

**And the break-up?**

It was a little low to hit him square in the face with it, but she wanted to know how he was holding up at least. Mopey Hawke wasn’t a guy she knew.

**Hawke – 14:15 –**

**What break-up?**

“Oh well,” she sighed. There was no point digging it out from him. She wondered where he was spending Christmas though, since it was a plan for him to be here during it. She just hoped he was not planning on drinking again.

***

She searched for about twenty minutes already and got a little desperate. This house wasn’t _that_ big so he could hide this well, right? Why would he even be hiding – there was no point. Unless he met Lucille. In that case, yes, she would understand.

She almost didn’t notice the noise until one of the running kids she felt like kicking already, since he was purposely pushing into her every time he ran around, informed her that _her butt is ringing_ and ran off again.

She growled, but didn’t follow him with something heavy she could hit him with, and rather fished her phone back. There was a hope Hawke called to talk a bit more, but instead of him Dorian’s name had been shining there and she smiled.

Well, he promised to call after all.

“My grandfather is picking phones faster than you,” came a greeting. “And I haven’t talked to him for about five years, which is saying something.”

“Dorian,” she said the name of the caller. “Like it or not, you’re not the only priority I have.”

“You have more priorities than moi? I’m shocked,” he sounded appalled, but there was amusement in his voice too. “Can you drop the rest for a while and enjoy the snow outside?”

“The snow?” she blinked in confusion and glanced out of the window. The heavy snowflakes were falling to the ground almost as a curtain and it looked absolutely lovely, she had to admit.

“Yeah, this time of the year it’s sort of mandatory,” he teased her. “Plus, there is also another precious snowflake right in the midst of the ordinary ones, if you look hard enough.”

“That sounds shady,” she tilted her head to the side, walking alongside of the windows, to the balcony, then opened the door and peeked outside. It wasn’t _that_ cold, and it felt like in a fairy tale. When she glanced towards the pathway from the main gate, she almost dropped her phone. Dorian was standing there with her aunt Lucille under a huge umbrella he was holding and she almost tripped over her feet how fast she trying to get her shoes on and run outside.

Dorian was _here_?!

“In fact it’s pretty much habitable, really,” Dorian was just saying before she flew into his arms for a tackling hug and it almost made him drop his umbrella.

“Manners, Evelyn!” Lucille immediately scolded her – no wonder – and Eve let go with a shrug and nudged Dorian’s shoulder. He was all dressed up to make impression and Lucille definitely liked it, since she always held Dorian in high regard for some reason. Probably because she was closer to the House Pavus than the rest of the family, knowing his parents personally.

Not that Dorian was too appreciative of that small detail.

“What are you doing here, traitor?” she grinned at him happily and Dorian gave her the umbrella to hold and pulled a suitcase out of the car.

“Like it or not, I’m spending Christmas here,” he told her like it was an issue she couldn’t take and she wanted to smack him. “Your family was more insistent than mine.”

“Oh really,” she eyed him in suspicion. She was pretty sure Dorian’s father was pleading him to come home, only to be denied again, as at every occasion it happened. She wondered if they ever were going to make up again, but judging from Dorian’s attitude she highly doubted it.

But then again, having a homophobic family was already a reason enough.

“What, are you against it? How disappointing,” he faked a dramatic sigh, looking at Lucille. “Isn’t it disappointing, Lucille? She is so mean.”

“Don’t answer him,” she turned to her aunt warningly. “His ego is already bigger than our house.”

“I beg to differ,” he crossed his arms on his chest.

The older woman just waved her hand at them and left them to it, walking back into the house like a ghost. She always was more of a relic than a living person anyway.

 “You can beg all you want,” she told him sweetly and Dorian grinned at her before looking all serious again once Lucille was out of reach. She had a bad feeling something happened how fast his expression changed.

“I may beg to know who is _that_ though,” he pointed somewhere behind her instead of giving her grim news and Eve barely held the groan that was coming up through her lips when she turned around.

Cullen. With her father. Walking from the yard.

“Oh my god,” she let out and felt like running was today the only thing she was going to do to stop catastrophe from happening. “Dad!”

Both men stopped and from the first look Cullen didn’t look as distressed as she expected him to be when staying alone with her father. He seemed quite normal, even smiled when he saw her, and her father looked all puffy like he just did a heroic deed and needed to tell her.

 _Oh no, not the heroic deeds speeches all over again_.

“Hi dad,” Dorian chanted behind her, apparently following with morbid curiosity and she realized Cullen and him knew each other from the game and this was absolutely awkward and she didn’t have a clue who to address first.

Cullen’s sanity was really a hot spot right now, if he spent at least half an hour with her father.

“You again,” her dad stared Dorian down which did nothing to the man, and then rolled his eyes. “Should have known Sarah was going to drag you here again.”

“Why is everyone so against it?”

“Must be your charming personality,” she told him without looking and Dorian barked out a laugh. “Dad, just… what?”

“Thought I’d give your _boyfriend_ a tour,” her father responded with a painful empathy on the word _boyfriend_ and she knew there was a punchline coming. She didn’t know what was worse – her father’s speech or Dorian’s that was coming right after. Or maybe at the same time.

Poor Cullen, he looked like he didn’t have a clue what kind of shit storm was approaching.

“What, are you cheating on me?” Dorian didn’t disappoint, his tone in a perfectly faked shock. It was literally the only thing she _didn’t_ want to hear him pulling at them (although it was normal, it really was, Dorian had been pretty well known with his comebacks, but with Cullen here it was just _maddening_ ). Cullen blinked; her father looked like somebody told him a really bad joke.

“He’s a friend of a family,” her dad told Cullen like he wanted to disperse any thoughts of Dorian actually dating Eve to protect her reputation, and she found it absolutely ridiculous. “Nothing to worry about.”

“Worry…?” Cullen finally started to look slightly distressed and she counted it as a win. For God’s sake, where all was her dad dragging him? Or better – what he had been telling him? She couldn’t imagine it being nice – he was _definitely_ trying to get his last name from him to check if his family was well known, and then maybe low key threatening him by showing him all the weapons around the house, telling him what each of them could do to a guy when he was not careful.

“Now, the eggnog,” her dad turned towards the house and she saw a chance and took it by grabbing Cullen’s hand and pulling a little to stop him from the possible following he could do. He skimmed quickly to their joined hands and then back at her, and apparently saw the urgency in her eyes, since he stopped dead in his tracks.

“I’m sure Cullen hasn’t seen the garden yet, right?” she said hopefully, trying to tell him with her eyes _not_ to go with her father any longer (as much as her mother was alright, she was pretty sure her dad was trying to get Cullen into a situation he could point at him and laugh and call him incompetent and unworthy and neither of them needed such drama in their lives). Her father turned back, apparently not agreeing, since he scowled at them unhappily.

“And the garden is very charming, I can say _Cullen_ is going to love it,” Dorian added to the mix and she had to force herself not to cringe. Way to let Dorian meet her internet crush. At least it worked though, since her dad left them in silence, disappearing inside of the house like a menacing shadow.

“He looks positively murderous, don’t you think?” Dorian said easily and Eve could see how he looked Cullen over. “Now, where were we. Ah! The garden.”

“That’s Dorian,” she mumbled towards Cullen when the man looked seriously lost.

“Oh, Altus?” Cullen seemed a little taken back by the revelation and Dorian started walking, which made Eve to follow him – while clutching Cullen’s hand all the time, making the man go with them. They really needed to get away from the house before her father would emerge once more, demanding to show Cullen his collection of swords he could stab him with.

“Yes, _Lion Commander_ ,” Dorian drawled, aiming for the alcove in the far side of the garden.

“It _does_ sound stupid saying out loud,” Cullen sighed and his hand squeezed Eve’s hand a little tighter. She knew she should be easing the grip off, but she held on stubbornly just to get herself the luxury.

“At least Altus is fashionable everywhere,” Dorian concluded and finally stopped, right under the cover, turning towards them. “Well.”

“Please, don’t say anything,” she pleaded him, but Dorian smirked.

“I’m just surprised.”

“I can explain,” Cullen tried. “If this is about my presence.”

“Oh please do,” Dorian made a vague hand gesture and Eve shook her head.

“Don’t tell him anything.”

“I feel like there is something really dark and secret about this situation,” Dorian watched her thoughtfully. “Are you pregnant? You did gain some pounds from the last time I saw you…”

“You haven’t seen me for a week,” she reminded him sternly and Cullen cleared his throat awkwardly next to her. He still held her hand. Or she held his, she wasn’t sure. It definitely look like they were dating and she hadn’t said a word to Dorian – which naturally made him curious and maybe slightly upset for not being told.

“Lots of things can happen over a week,” he shrugged. “Like you two actually meeting and spending Christmas in this pit of despair, isn’t that wonderful?”

She pinched the bridge of her nose and couldn’t really formulate a comeback that would get him satisfied or at least quiet about it, but then Cullen bend low to her and said:

“I think he’s more like those naked anti-allergic cats than the fluffy ones.”

She completely understood Dorian’s horrified expression when she started to laugh. It was probably enough for the man to just point at them both with _I’m watching you_ while stalking back to the house and grabbing his abandoned luggage along the way.

“What a charming guy,” Cullen pointed out and judging from the smile that was tugging at the corners of his mouth he found the situation amusing at least.

“It’s a family thing,” she shrugged and finally let of his hands, albeit grudgingly. “He’s sort of related.”

She already felt at lost when the warmth disappeared, but held herself back from reaching out once more.

“Sort of?” he raised his eyebrows and when she sat down at the cold bench, he did the same. She just didn’t want to come back inside yet and be swarmed by all of them. Having a little while just with two of them was getting rare and she needed it like the air.

“As my father would say,” she breathed in. “House of Trevelyan and House of Pavus are very distantly related, but blood is not water. Dorian would add it’s so distant that we can still flirt.”

“Sounds like something he would say, yes,” Cullen agreed, chuckling. “Speaking of your father. He’s rather intimidating.”

“Yes, he definitely is,” she mumbled. “Please tell me he didn’t bother you with his weapon’s collection.”

“Among other things,” he shrugged. “I think he was trying to distinguish if I’m a threat or not.”

“Yeah?”

“It felt like assessing tour, yeah,” he nodded, apparently knowing very well what her father had been up to, and she was grateful he saw right through him. “That he _heard the talk_ about you bringing a man along. And your mother seemingly made it look very serious, so he had to know.”

“Of course he had.”

Her father and the so-called virtue protecting. If he could, he would run a database with dirt on everyone that would look at his daughter. That was probably why she didn’t feel like returning back anytime soon, to see him attempting to harass Cullen again, so she stayed put, even though it was pretty cold. She felt the chill creeping up her legs and under her sleeves, how it bit into her cheeks and around the bare neck. The garden was sparkling in silver and diamonds and as much as she was content with leaving this place as her home, looking back at it now seemed like the nostalgia got better of her.

She remembered that around the corner of the right wing of the house she fell and scraped her knee. That at the main gate to their property she torn her trousers while trying to climb over the fence. That at this alcove she cried herself to sleep during a hot summer night when her first pet died and she buried it in the far side of the garden and then refused to come back home because her parents just said they were going to buy her a new pet so she should stop crying.

Now sitting here with Cullen was like adding a pleasant memory to the collection, and maybe that alone was warming her enough to be able to stay in the cold weather, just to enjoy the company of the man. The sound of his voice made her feel safe and relaxed, and after a moment she found herself not concentrating on the words, but on the sound only, relishing it a bit too much to consider it a simple attraction.

It was love. It had been love for some time and now she just _knew_. She was sitting here under clothed and she didn’t care as long as he was there with her. She got teased about him by her whole family but it was fine, because they were all right.

“I think he expected me to ask for your hand in marriage while picking the best weapon he could kill me with,” she noticed the last words he formed and blinked, slowly coming back to reality.

“And did you?” she asked softly. “Ask for my hand in marriage, not pick a weapon.”

“Of course, the wedding is tomorrow, nobody told you?” he joked and she chuckled, looking at him by the corner of her eye. Was he always watching her with such fondness? It was like his eyes were telling her thousands of love words and she could drown in them.

“Nobody told me,” she added to the conversation quietly. “I don’t have a thing to wear.”

“Clothes are the last thing that matters, really,” he replied simply.

“What, are you telling me I should attend naked?” she nudged him with a laugh and he sputtered and hid his face in his hands.

“You’re going to destroy me one day,” he groaned, but it sounded fond and she wanted to kiss him.

She really, really wanted to. She wondered if he knew. What if she just… leaned in? Would he lean in too? Would he take her face in his big hands and kiss her back?

“Cullen,” she whispered, looking at him with rising heat in her cheeks and searing hotness expanding in her chest. “What’s holding you back?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Cleverly avoided the whole interrogation Trevelyan style xD   
> Also, sorry for the delay, it was chaos at work and I didn't have strenght to write how drained I had been x.x


	23. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So you did, I assume?” Dorian interrupted his thoughts. “Drive her here.”  
> “Yeah,” he nodded shortly. “She wanted me to stay, so… I’m staying.”  
> “Of course she wanted to,” Dorian finished his glass in one big gulp. “She has been mooning over you for months. And here I thought online relationships never work out. I stand corrected then.”  
> “It’s not like we are-,”  
> “Oh please, spare me, Commander,” Dorian rolled his eyes. “I’d say you’re newlyweds from what I’ve seen only by today.”

The time slowed almost into a complete halt as if the cold froze it and Cullen was drowning in the infinite green that was gazing at him, making him burn inside. He got slowly used to being tempted, he really, really was, with her constant presence and lovely smiles, but he wasn’t ready for her actually asking.

What was holding him back? Probably only power of his sheer will he had no idea where he gained from, or maybe the simple fact he didn’t know he was actually allowed to do anything about it. But here she was, pointing at the obvious elephant in the room, and he felt his barriers crumbling like house of cards that had been blew into, bursting like a bubble that was poked, unable to rebuild them.

It was no secret how high over heels he was for her and he was sure _everyone_ knew just by looking at him. The sudden knowledge she actually waited for _him_ to do the first step was disarming.

He watched her pink lips and rosy cheeks, the red hair a little damp from the snow how they were walking under the heavy white curtains here, and felt the gravity doing its magic, pulling him to her how he wanted to for days, _hell, months even_ , not even knowing how she looked like, but wanting and loving, and now he could and his hands trembled and heart beat fast. Her eyes were half lidded and she was leaning close to him too and he felt like he was fifteen again, nervous and excited at the same time to kiss a girl he was crazy about, until there was a dull hit somewhere above them and a sprinkle of cold snow, followed by hysterical laughter.

It stopped him dead in his tracks and before he could comprehend what just happened, Eve was already standing up with a low growl, looking somewhere behind them – where two kids were grinning at them like loons, holding snowballs.

It was probably the same children that woke him up in the morning too, he guessed.

“I swear to God you’re _dead_!” she shouted at them and shot forward, which made the rascals run with high-pitched squealing back to the house, followed closely by her. He could hear them shouting all the way.

He stayed for a bit longer, waiting for his heartbeat to get back to normal.

He almost kissed her. She wanted him to.

He was absolutely done for, feeling the urgency and impatience growing in him, and he wasn’t sure how to calm himself down. Coming back to the house and snog her right at the door would not bode well, that for sure.

But sweet heavens, how he _wanted to_. To taste, to hold her close, to pour everything he felt to the simple gesture, to let her know he wasn’t joking and that he wanted to court her properly, as lame as it sounded, he wanted to do it _right._

He took a deep breath and then another. Just a bit more. A little moment to get under control.

It took him longer than he anticipated.

***

“Cockblocked, I heard.”

Cullen almost sputtered his drink back out when Dorian dropped the remark like a lethal weapon, casually sipping red wine. He looked like a vampire, dressed in a black suit, only with red tie that made Cullen think he bathed it in blood before wearing it. For a while he even expected Dorian to make a contract appear out of nowhere, asking for his soul.

“Plenty of chances though, don’t you worry,” he patted Cullen on his shoulder, smirking slightly. “Do you look up when walking around the house? You should.”

“Up…?” Cullen cleared his throat, trying to regain some balance. When he got back to the house, the kids were just singing _Cullen and Eve sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G_ and Eve looked like she could use anything close to hand to murder them. They were lucky Khendra, seemingly their mother, was there to protect them – since the fact they did what they did wasn’t the only thing that made Eve mad at them. He wasn’t as bold to ask what were the other sins she accused them from though.

He tried to spend most of the time out of the ruckus, since apparently the hour was right to start cooking and Eve got dragged away before he got a chance to get her alone somewhere. Well, not that he necessarily needed her completely alone, but _hell_ , he wanted to kiss her so bad now it almost physically hurt to see her on the other side of the room without any means to do so.

He probably looked at her a bit too longingly though, judging from Dorian’s smug expression.

“Yeah, ceilings and doors, you know the drill,” Dorian hummed. “Even for your own chastity.”

“My own-,” Cullen glanced around the room, unable to tell what was Dorian up to, until his eyes stopped at the door leading to the dining room, decorated by very innocently looking mistletoe.

“People usually don’t pay attention to it,” his companion pointed out like he was telling him a huge secret. “Just saying. Watching you is getting a little sad, especially when our Inquisitor is kept so out of reach.”

“Uh,” Cullen looked around, but all the present relatives were mostly talking to each other. “Sorry. I suppose.”

“You should be,” Dorian shrugged. “She was never as secretive before as she is with you. I’m still trying to find out what the hell happened over the week I was gone.”

“We met yesterday and it was only by a chance,” Cullen mumbled. There was no point keeping it from the man, especially when Eve held him so high in regard. “Hawke was supposed to drive her here, but got drunk.”

“That’s nothing new,” the Tevinter sighed dramatically. “It’s probably the only thing he keeps on returning to, if not people.”

Cullen couldn’t really say – he knew Hawke, but mostly just from hearing of him from Varric. He saw him only few times – Leliana still talked to him more than him, as well as Cassandra. And, well, Eve.

“So you did, I assume?” Dorian interrupted his thoughts. “Drive her here.”

“Yeah,” he nodded shortly. “She wanted me to stay, so… I’m staying.”

“Of course she wanted to,” Dorian finished his glass in one big gulp. “She has been mooning over you for _months_. And here I thought online relationships never work out. I stand corrected then.”

“It’s not like we are-,”

“Oh please, spare me, _Commander_ ,” Dorian rolled his eyes. “I’d say you’re newlyweds from what I’ve seen only by today.”

There was probably no answer in the world that would make Dorian think otherwise, so Cullen just dropped it, looking back at the mistletoe. How much pain from Eve’s father would he have to endure afterwards if he actually caught her there and kissed her lips like a starving man?

***

“Red wine, Cullen?”

“Ah, yes, but it’s really fine-,”

“I hope you’re not a vegetarian.”

“No, not at all, but-,”

“Good.”

Cullen realized trying to get closer to the kitchen was a mistake. Most of the women were present – not even cooking or helping, but chatting, while men lounged around the living room, watching a game. He was a little torn where to stand or who to talk to when Dorian disappeared, and an attempt to get hang of Eve only met with resistance of her mother telling him she was busy and asking him about wine and meat.

 _Brilliant_.

“Trust me, you don’t want to go there,” one of the men stopped at him, apparently noticing his reluctance of entering the kitchen. “They’d eat you alive. Come watch the game with us.”

There wasn’t much he could do anyway, especially when he started to be ogled by the ladies like a piece of meat.

***

He caught a glimpse of the red hair disappearing through the hallway and then back to kitchen for about three times. It was rushed and she always carried something in.

Their eyes met every time.

***

“Cullen!”

“Sorry, that’s about fourth time by now and I just couldn’t sit there any longer,” he didn’t know why exactly he was apologizing, but the words rushed out of his mouth right the moment he managed to snatch Eve out of her way to still her. Her hair was in a small ponytail and there was flour on her left cheek, and he couldn’t find words to describe how beautiful she was right now.

He stopped her right in between the door and it wasn’t the best place he could choose, but when she appeared for the fourth time, it was like she was tempting him on purpose, especially when their eyes met again and she smiled. He almost leaped from his seat just to get to her fast enough.

“Were they boring you to death?” she chuckled, glancing to the direction of the other male population of the house, but her voice sounded nervous, or maybe like she was trembling, and he didn’t know if it meant something good or if he startled her while being too pushy. But her hands were holding his forearms like she didn’t want to let him go, and his brain was already too overwhelmed to deduce the rest.

“No,” he managed to answer before he captured her lips, hearing her make a surprised noise in the back of her throat, but before his fractured mind could possibly interpret it as a refusal, she was circling her arms around his shoulders and pulling him closer.

That definitely wasn’t a _no_.

Her lips were soft and gentle and he was losing his mind, tasting her tentatively, but growing needier by each passing second. God, she was _perfect_. She held onto him like he was the only lifesaver she had from drowning, and it was ironic, really, because he felt like she was his anchor instead. The gentle caressing of her cheeks, the slight trembling that was coursing through her body – or was hit his? He didn’t know – the soft noises she was making and how neither of them wanted to part, it all made Cullen _crazy_ and when he finally pulled away for air, he already felt at lost and his lips tingled.

“That was… really nice,” he whispered while she gazed at him dreamily, her now red lips curled up in a smile. Her eyes were sparkling and chest heaving, and he wondered if diving in again would be too much for the situation.

He felt like becoming addicted in an insane pace.

“It took you long enough,” she teased him with a breathless laugh, her fingers gently running through the hair on the back of his head. It was surprisingly natural to hold her so close, like they fitted perfectly and no fantasy of his could be better than the real deal. She wasn’t fragile, she wasn’t weak, and when his hands travelled down her spine to her waist, tentatively resting on her hips, he could tell she would be able to take care of herself. He really liked it and compliments were swirling in the back of his mind, ready to be said.

Although her presence definitely took most of his coherence away.

“Where is Evelyn?!” a sharp voice of Sarah sliced through the moment and Eve groaned, hiding her face in Cullen’s chest.

“I swear I can’t wait to get back to Denerim…” she sighed, hugging him tightly. “Kidnap me from here?”

“Just say a word,” he smiled like a love-struck idiot and tilted her head up to kiss her again. There was no way he was ever going to get enough of that, no matter what kind of danger was coming at them – judging from the approaching thudding.

“Naturally,” Sarah’s voice again, right next to them now. Cullen grudgingly let go and glanced at the woman while trying to look as neutral as he could. “You two…”

“Mistletoe,” he responded with a shrug. “How could I not?”

He noticed Eve blinking in surprise and looking up, apparently not knowing about the clever placement, and he made a mental note to thank Dorian later.

Sarah seemed like wanting to say something, but then apparently thought better of it and just passed them without another word.

“Smart,” Eve piped. “I’m impressed.”

“Thank you,” he smiled at her and when she tugged him down again, he went without hesitation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Yeah, I know. They were slow, lol.


	24. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We can stay,” he offered – again – and she shook her head. “I don’t want to make your family upset.”  
> “I don’t want to make your family upset,” she returned with a chuckle. “It’s fine. We were here over dinner, that’s what matters.”  
> “You sure?” there was an evident worry in his tone and she poked his chest.   
> “Try to be a little more selfish,” she mumbled. “You’re too nice.”  
> “Is that a crime now?” he teased her, kissing the top of her head. “Or do you like bad boys more?”

There was apparent that Trevelyan’s Christmas dinner was something Cullen had never seen in such degree of _everything_ , judging from his wide eyes for most of the time. Eve had to admit that the mass of people attending was insane, the amount of food serving impossible, the chatter that filled the dining room deafening. She knew he was used to a big family, but this must have been for him like they invited a whole town here and he she doubted anyone could hear the other over the ruckus.

See didn’t even attempt to talk to him, especially when her mother left them both sitting at the different parts of the table like some cheap chaperone. She could see him, but she wouldn’t hear a word he’d say, so they were only glancing at each other with smiles for the whole event. She noticed Lotharn trying to talk to him during several occasions, since she was sitting next to him (her mother probably had a wild sense of humour), but he evidently brushed her off every time until she eventually gave up.

The dinner lasted for two hours and Eve wanted to disappear after first twenty minutes of the crazy noise her family was making. Cullen seemed about the same and he didn’t even touch his wine.

She only prayed it would be over fast so they could leave this hellhole.

***

“You must be joking.”

“No, not really,” she responded with maybe a bit too much stubbornness, and her mother made a face at her. They were alone in the kitchen, which was something to behold at this point, but Eve thought it was because most of the people were too full to actually move. Not to mention the food was on the table even in the living room where basically everybody crashed.

“It’s Christmas,” her mum put down the bottle of wine she came for and gave Eve a serious look. “You can’t leave today.”

“I’ve been here since yesterday,” she opposed quietly. “And quite frankly Cullen would like to spend the rest of the day with his own.”

“You have been here since _today_ , young lady. And now what, you’re going to drive another five hours to _his_ place?“ Sarah crossed her arms on her chest. “On Christmas? To arrive at night? You’ll lose the whole day.”

“It’s seven,” Eve glanced at her watch. “It’s going to be about the same time when we got here.”

“Eve,” her mum sighed. “It’s Christmas. Just go back to the living room, watch a movie, cuddle with your boyfriend, sleep and tomorrow you can go.”

 _My boyfriend_.

Eve was sure her lips curled up in a stupid smile at that notion, but it was already decided and as much as it sounded tempting, she talked about it with Cullen and they both thought it was better to go (or maybe she did more, he was willing to wait until morning, but she couldn’t wait to get out of here). He didn’t even drink so he could drive and she thought asking him to stay here would be already too selfish, and her head was like a balloon anyway from the amount of people here that kept on chattering like chickens.

Not to mention staying here alone was absolutely unappealing as well, so going with him didn’t even need a long thought’s process.

“Sorry,” she said and really meant it – it was first Christmas she would not spend in her household and it seemed strange even to her. Her mum looked like she wanted to argue, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out, so she closed it again and shook her head.

“Fine,” she uttered after, obviously unhappy about it. “But you’re going to tell your father, not me.”

“Don’t make drama out of it, mum,” she pleaded her. “Just accept I’m not a kid anymore.”

“Kid or no kid,” Sarah grabbed the bottle again and walked towards the door. “Your head is currently flying somewhere over the rainbow, it’s useless trying to talk you out of it. I just hope he’s worth it.”

With that she disappeared from the kitchen and left Eve silent in the middle of the room.

Why nothing could go without stressing over simple matters?

***

“How did she take it?”

Eve shrugged and walked towards Cullen in a slow pace, just to be greeted with opened arms and a firm hug. The sudden ability to touch him without needing to worry if it bothered him was intoxicating and she loved it. His hands were always holding her close and safe and it felt a lot more intimate now, like even his borders fell with the first kiss (or kisses).

She couldn’t say she didn’t enjoy a bit too much all the attention he gave her.

“As expected,” she mumbled, burying her face in his chest. “She tried to talk me out of it.”

“We can stay,” he offered – again – and she shook her head. “I don’t want to make your family upset.”

“I don’t want to make _your_ family upset,” she returned with a chuckle. “It’s fine. We were here over dinner, that’s what matters.”

“You sure?” there was an evident worry in his tone and she poked his chest.

“Try to be a little more selfish,” she mumbled. “You’re too nice.”

“Is that a crime now?” he teased her, kissing the top of her head. “Or do you like bad boys more?”

“I like you enough to completely leave bad boys out of my thoughts,” she smiled into his shirt and his grip grew stronger.

“You do?”

“Mhm,” she wriggled so she could look up and almost choked on the expression he was sporting. She never knew somebody could look so adoring while watching her, with darkened eyes and a smile that could lit the whole city, and there was literally no stopping her from pulling him down and kissing him like she was starving, just to be met with the same amount of urgency that overruled the kiss in a second.

“Oh God, get a room,” came a groan, but it made her part with Cullen a lot slower than it probably should have. He was holding her face in his hands, staring into her eyes almost hungrily, and she was drowning in the colour, breath shortening, hands gripping his shoulders like her legs couldn’t support her.

God, she _wanted_ so much it was almost painful, and he looked the same, completely captivated, his eyes skimming from her eyes to her lips and back like the reality around them didn’t exist.

“A _room_ ,” Dorian’s voice, she finally realized. “Just watching you is NC-17 already.”

It took three deep breaths before she could actually ease off her hold and glance to the side at the man, not really trusting her expression. It must have been completely dreamlike.

“Heard you’re leaving, wanted to tell you bye,” he gave her a look and Eve finally stepped away, her heart attempting to calm down. “I suppose the mistletoe worked?”

“The mistletoe?” she raised an eyebrow, her brain catching up slowly, and Cullen chuckled like there was a hidden joke in it somewhere she didn’t understand.

“You can say that,” he said to Dorian in a completely relaxed tone and she wondered how he was doing that. She felt painfully incoherent. ”Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Dorian bowed almost mockingly and cleared his throat to get her more into reality. “A hug, please? Or is it out of limits now?”

It was probably funny, but she glanced at Cullen anyway in curiosity and he barked out a laugh and stepped away. Was it really this ridiculous? Well, judging from Dorian’s smirk it probably was, so she rather hugged him without another word.

“Oh honey, you must have a really scared little bird inside of your chest, for how much I feel it pounding,” Dorian whispered to her ear.

“I think there is a swarm of them,” she mumbled, earning a chuckle. “Is it okay for you to stay here?”

“Of course,” he let go of her, giving her a wink. “I have several reasons as well – not to mention all the wine and books. It’s like Eden.”

“Obviously,” she nudged his shoulder. “Call me if anything?”

“Naturally,” he assured her and glanced somewhere behind him. “I assume you haven’t talked to the big grumpy bear yet?”

“Not yet,” she knew he was talking about her father and she dreaded the conversation even before it started. “Did he look angry?”

“Furious.”

”Damn,” she groaned. Her dad was definitely going to have worse arguments than her mum, and she expected him to be nasty as well. He already seemed rather grumpy during the dinner, so that mood must have only multiplied when he got told she was leaving. Because her mother definitely told him, even against her own words that Eve had to do it.

“Do you want me to go with you?” Cullen offered, his calming touch returned to her back, and she leaned into it with a relieved sigh.

“It’s fine,” she assured him. “If I won’t return in an hour, send a rescue squad.”

“You sure?” the worry was back and she smirked at him. “Oh right. Sorry. More selfish.”

“How come nobody tells _me_ to be more selfish?” Dorian sounded like he was terribly wronged and she left them both there with a laugh.

That stopped right the moment she stepped into the living room, noting her dad standing in between the door, noticing her immediately like he had radar. When he ominously nodded to her and disappeared in the hallway, she knew the conversation was going to be more critical than she thought.

***

“Is everything alright?”

Cullen’s voice interrupted her from the haze she fell into, and she just mutely nodded. The talk made her absolutely besotted and the more she was trying to understand why her father was such a prick, the less she understood why her mother actually still lived with him.

_In love? Oh please, you’re too young to know what that is._

_He’s just exploiting your naivety, using cheap gestures. How old is he? At least thirty five, right?_

_Leaving on Christmas, are you already a barbarian? You’re not a Fereldan dirt to act like a ungrateful child. You’re staying_ here, _and that’s my last word._

_If you walk out of these doors, Evelyn, there will be consequences._

“Let’s get out of here,” she grabbed Cullen’s hand and her luggage in another and left the house in hurry. He didn’t fight her, and his looming presence was a calming element that kept her at bay.

She knew she was going to be much happier once they cross the borders of Free Marches.

***

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

She was staring out of the window for about half an hour now. The snow stopped falling, but the sky was dark again and it felt a little like Deja vu. She fought the same exhaustion like when they were driving to Ostwick, seizing her uncomfortably and her thoughts were flowing through her brain like during hurricane.

She knew they were going to be annoyed she wanted to leave, but the only person that was nice about it was Dorian. Her mother kept the _I’m disappointed_ face the whole time Eve was packing and her father actually disgusted her so much she was looking forward not seeing him the whole damn year if she could help it.

Not only he told her she was ungrateful, but made Cullen look like a fiend that only wanted sex and she was stupid to believe him. Of course he didn’t leave her moving out of the conversation, or her new job he learned of from who knows where ( _Orleisians, are you completely nuts? Are they even paying you?),_ so when she was leaving it felt like she went through a lobotomy.

“How old are you?”

It was probably a little out of blue, but since her father kept on hitting her with the question; she realized she didn’t even know. She didn’t know much about the man, actually, but she refused to get her dad get to her. He had no right for a long time already.

“Uh, thirty one,” Cullen replied with confusion in his voice. “Eve, is everything alright? Should I stop somewhere?”

“I was just curious,” she mumbled without looking at him.

Thirty one. That was probably a fully functioning adult, right? Not that she wasn’t an adult by the age, but she still knew taking of herself was a hard thing to do and occasionally it scared her when something unpredictable came up. He didn’t have such troubles anymore, did he? Was she going to be a bother? Was he going to get bored of her once he’d learn she was not exactly a proper housemaid and her cooking abilities consisted of three meals?

The forced down the sigh and watched the skittering scenery jumping in front of her eyes like a white phantom instead. All she wanted to do was curl into a ball and wake up in her bed, without worries that her family hated her right now. Maybe she wasn’t ready to be an adult after all?

She almost didn’t notice when the car slowed down, until it stopped completely on the side of the road and she turned to Cullen in a silent question.

He was watching her back with a slight frown and she didn’t like that expression. It meant business, it meant _talking,_ and she was afraid it wouldn’t be nice.

“Go on,” he told her firmly. “Ask whatever you need to know. I can see it troubling you.”

“It’s not troubling me,” she refused the claim, even though it was a lie. Not a complete one, not really, but there was something her father sow in her brain and she couldn’t get rid of it.

“I’m thirty one,” he repeated the number. “I’m a firefighter. I hadn’t been dating for about five years. My last long term relationship lasted for about three years, basically until an accident in the Bannorn, near Lake Calenhad.  I live alone, I play online games in my free time and my older sister thinks I’m a hermit due to lack of social life. I don’t like olives, I’m crazy about pizza rolls and I’m madly in love with you.”  

She couldn’t help but stare, all the information slowly getting to her. Cullen didn’t say anything else, he only returned her gaze like he waited for a verdict, and she gulped down heavily. Was she this annoying he decided to throw it at her to satisfy the nagging inside of her head? Was she this obvious?

Was he… madly in love with her? The straightforward admission was burning through her like a pleasant ache.

“An accident?” she voiced quietly and Cullen avoided her eyes for a second, like he tried to hide the reaction, or maybe think how to answer.

“In my previous squad,” he tried hesitantly. “There had been a fire in a hostel. It was a big one, it seized the whole building. We couldn’t get everyone out in time, and when we climbed to the upper level, the fire already collapsed the ceiling there and we got trapped.”

Her eyes widened. The image of being imprisoned in a burning building was hideous.

“There had been several deaths. Some of my own squad,” he added bitterly. “It took me a while to get back to the world of the living, physically and mentally.”

“I’m so sorry,” she reached out, grabbing his hand in a comforting gesture. He squeezed her in return, offering a weak smile.

“It had been difficult, but it’s behind me, so,” he gave out a tiny shrug like he was trying to hide the real deal and she didn’t blame him. She wouldn’t like to talk about something that was this bad either, no matter with who. It brought back memories, it always did. Cullen definitely didn’t need that. “That’s it. It had been messed up, but I got better. I just didn’t feel like I can take responsibility for anyone for a while. Including relationships. So Mia was right, kind of, that I’ve become a hermit. It was safer that way.”

She nodded. No words sounded right in her head that she could react with to make it better, so she at least squeezed his hand tighter.

“Just wanted for this to be out of the way,” he concluded with a deep breath. “And you looked like you’re worried about my background, so…”

“No,” she shook her head. “I’ve not been worried about that. My dad just… he can get under my skin easily with all this talk.”

“Yeah?”

“He was pretty nasty about me leaving. About us being together…” she stopped and cleared her throat. Being together? She didn’t even know if they were together – they kissed and they knew they liked each other, but… it didn’t necessarily mean they were official, right?

“I’m very much on board of being together,” he said helpfully and his thumb rubbed the back of her hand in reassurance. “If that helps you.”

Her heart was ready to beat its way out of her chest and it was probably apparent, since he chuckled and gently touched her cheek.

“You turned red.”

“Oh god,” she hid her face in her hands, avoiding the touch while feeling the hotness that was rising up. “Don’t look!”

“It’s adorable.”

He wasn’t helping.

“You’re not helping!”

“Sorry,” he was laughing, wasn’t he. The touch was back, this time in her hair where he gently ran his fingers through the loose strands. “I just can’t help it.”

“That’s what I just said,” she grumbled and felt his fingers slide lower, to her hands, then to her wrist, touching lightly, almost tentatively.

“Eve.”

“I want to,” she whispered. “Be together.”

He tugged gently and she let go, putting her hands back down.

“Can I kiss you now?”

It was such an endearing question she couldn’t even form a proper response – except of nodding and leaning forward, brushing her lips over his, just to be kissed deeply seconds after. She wasn’t sure how, but when he pulled her closer, her brain decided to abandon her seat and swing on his lap easily, making him gasp into her mouth, his eyes wide.

“Just for a while,” she whispered against his lips and he nodded fervently and pressed her tighter against him, licking into her mouth with urgency, his hands sliding along her back and resting on her hips.

She wasn’t entirely sure how long the _while_ was going to be, but she definitely didn’t want to shorten it, no matter how.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Yeah, I don't know what happened.


	25. South Reach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You remember how I told you about the hermit phase, right?” he pointed out and she smirked, he could see it by the corner of his eye. “Well, imagine Mia being overly excited it’s over.”  
> “Overly excited like…?”  
> “Like talking you to death,” he sighed at the image. Mia was definitely going to bother Eve immensely – not to mention Rosalie. “Oh God, and Rosalie would be even worse…”

Kissing Eve was like getting addicted to fire. Her lips were pliant, but demanding and he still felt like she wasn’t _close_ enough, no matter how pressed together they were, where he touched her while she sat on his lap, sharing the heat and excitement. His brain barely worked at that moment, she became a centre of everything, and he could only take in her taste, her warmth, her touches and lines of her body, her voice and soft breaths.

How damn lucky was he to meet somebody so compatible? There was _nothing_ he wouldn’t like about her, what he wouldn’t adore to bits and pieces. She responded to him like they were one, like they knew each other forever, and it was impossibly perfect.

His hands travelled from her hips up, to her waist and along the ribcage, and when she gasped into his mouth and arched her back, he had to stop the moan rising in his throat from the sheer pleasure of watching her – the red curtain of her hair, the green half lidded eyes that were watching him from under long, black eyelashes, the pink tongue that appeared when she licked her lower lip after they parted. He was only able to gulp down heavily while staring at her in a complete awe and his hands moved almost on their own, his thumb touching her wet lip while his other hand caressed the side of her neck, a soft skin sliding under his fingers that made him want to touch her more – a lot more.

“You’re perfect.”

He almost didn’t recognize his voice for how much it dropped. It was gruff and reminded more of a growl than a confession, but her pupils dilated and he could see the same amount of need in her eyes like she could see in his.

“Look who is talking,” she responded breathlessly, her slim fingers brushing over his chin and up his cheekbones. It was a miracle he was able to smile; he was so done for it almost stripped him of coherence completely.

“We should, um,” she glanced behind her at a wheel that was probably digging to her back. “Be on our way…?”

“Yeah,” he agreed, but didn’t make a single move towards it and neither did she.

“Like now,” she added, but her voice sounded smaller, and even though he nodded, there was still no attempt to disentangle from either of them.

“Definitely,” he mumbled and his body thrummed with energy. He needed her to make a first move to get away; he wasn’t able to lift a finger that would mean to let her go, no damn way. On that account he probably shouldn’t have started to draw soothing circles on her neck either, since her head lolled back, offering a perfect view on her throat. A groan was building in his chest, but he kept it back, even though his first and foremost thought was to lean in and mark her somehow, like a possessive idiot.

Would he draw a sound from her? A moan maybe, or a breathy sigh? Would she like it, his lips on her neck, his hands on her body?

“We really should go,” he realized what he was doing and retreated his hand like he got burned, chiding himself from the slip of control. He definitely didn’t want her to think he couldn’t keep his urges at bay, not in a goddamn car like a horny teenager.

It seemed to wake her up from a trance as well, since she slowly nodded and breathed out like she was trying to calm herself. He definitely was the same, and it was more difficult to let her go than he thought it would be when she finally slid back to her seat.

“Sorry,” she mumbled in apology, fastening back her seat belt. “Let’s go.”

He hummed and started the car again, just to stop right after, squeezing the wheel to still himself.

“Cullen?”

“Sorry,” he repeated the word too and in one swift motion captured her lips again, in a quick, deep kiss she moaned into.

If they were going to arrive past one in the morning, it would be early with this pace.

***

“It’s definitely no problem to drive you back home,” he assured her when Denerim was only five kilometres away now. She yawned from her seat and stretched like a kitten, making him smile.

“I can go with you if you want me to meet your family,” she offered. “It’s fair; you were forced to meet mine anyway.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s fair,” he glanced at her shortly. “You really don’t need to go with me. They are vultures, they won’t leave you alone.”

“Oh?”

“You remember how I told you about the _hermit phase_ , right?” he pointed out and she smirked, he could see it by the corner of his eye. “Well, imagine Mia being overly excited it’s over.”

“Overly excited like…?”

“Like talking you to death,” he sighed at the image. Mia was definitely going to bother Eve immensely – not to mention Rosalie. “Oh God, and Rosalie would be even worse…”

“I’m actually excited to meet them,” she shrugged like it was no big deal and he wondered how exactly was she imagining it happening. Because her family was something, of course, with numbers of guests and everything, but they were mostly reserved enough to leave him alone. But his sisters were definitely _not_ going to leave them be and his parents were going to ask for a wedding date or something equally embarrassing at this point and it was going to be _a disaster_.

“You sure?” he tried hesitantly. “Because it’s not going to be quiet.”

“Now I’m not sure, have you met _my_ family?” she nudged his shoulder with a chuckle and he hummed.

“That was different, trust me,” he told her with a sigh. “They were at least mostly… holding back.”

“Lotharn definitely didn’t,” she uttered dryly and it took him a moment to actually put the name and the right person together.

_Oh, her cousin from Nevarra._

“Well, she was… something else as well,” he cleared his throat. She was trying to chat him up the whole Christmas dinner and he was so taken back he barely reacted to her talking, especially when Eve was sitting so far and kept on smiling at him.

He probably offended the poor woman, but oh well.

“What I mean is,” he slowed the car down at the border of the city and then stopped completely at the side of the road. “That they were too excited about you and they _won’t_ leave you alone, no matter what I will do or say. Means lots of questions, and embarrassing ones.”

“Colour of the wedding dress, number of kids?” she offered helpfully and looked positively amused by the image. A clear sign she never met them before.

“Basically,” he mumbled.

“I’m fine with that,” she assured him with a gentle touch on his forearm. “Seriously, let’s go. If it’s going to be too much, I’ll play a morning sickness card.”

“That wouldn’t help you _at all_ ,” he rolled his eyes and she grinned at him mischievously. God, she was going to make his life a living hell as well – maybe she was the same wicked force like his sisters were. If they would ever team up on him, he would be definitely done for.

“Who knows,” she smiled at him sweetly and nodded to the road. “C’mon.”

“I’ve warned you,” he pointed at her warningly. “You can’t say I didn’t.”

“I’d never,” she nodded in agreement and her lips were still smiling.

Well, maybe it really wouldn’t be _that_ bad.

***

It was bad.

No, it was absolutely disastrous. They weren’t sleeping – neither of them – when Cullen and Eve arrived. The first moment he managed to unlock the door and enter, there were squeals from the living room and devious thudding that meant the only thing – Mia and Rosalie were waiting for him to arrive and right now on their way to wrestle him to the ground.

Well, first was a dog that ran to him, so that wasn’t as bad and Eve laughed when the big beast jumped at Cullen and was almost his height on his back legs, so he could slobber all over him. Unfortunately Mia and Rosalie were right behind him, both in pyjamas and with long, freely falling sandy blond hair, with sparkling eyes and definitely too many questions on their tongues.

“Um, hi,” Eve greeted them first while scratching the dog behind his ears when he let go of Cullen after thoroughly greeting him. “I’m Eve.”

“Heavens, you see that, right?” Mia reacted first, her lips wide in a too happy grin and walked close to Eve, immediately grabbing her hands. “You’re so pretty!”

“Thank you…?” Eve skimmed with her eyes to Cullen and then back, smiling nervously. “You’re really pretty too.”

“Oh man, she’s also polite!” Mia squealed happily. “I’m Mia. This is Rosalie.”

“Hi!” Cullen’s younger sister trotted to them like a tsunami and Cullen was expecting the worse – like her pouncing Eve for example. She used to do that two or three years back, why not today? She was like the second dog.

“Come on in!” they were already dragging her to the living room, and it was a bit like déjà vu, except of a strict mother there were two overly excited girls seating Eve on the couch, leaving Cullen in the hallway like he didn’t even matter (rude, really) with the dog that looked at him sadly while standing at the door, so he at least let him go for a run.

He wondered if he shouldn’t have gone with him.

***

“I can’t believe how pretty she is.”

“I’m not entirely sure how to take it,” Cullen gave his sister a look and she pushed a plate with food into his hands. He wasn’t even hungry, but took a bite anyway, just to satisfy her mother hen tendencies.

The only luck was his _real_ mother was fast asleep, or he wouldn’t be able to leave the kitchen before eating like a horse.

“That she is really pretty,” she repeated like for an idiot and Cullen rolled his eyes.

“Yes, she is,” he concluded, nibbling into his food with a fork. The amount of repetition Mia did scared him a little, like she had a point he wouldn’t like. Like _looks aren’t everything_ or _can she cook_ or _what’s her IQ score?_

“I never believed online relationships work,” of course she made a note of that and immediately reminded him of Dorian who had a similar opinion. “You lucky guy.”

“I hope you haven’t been pestering her about it,” he glared at her unhappily. She and Rosalie had been keeping Eve away from him like a stone wall, but judging from Eve’s expression she apparently didn’t really mind, so he kept the saving move unused for now. Although when he left her only with Rosalie he wasn’t sure how it was going to end up, especially with the knowledge they met online.

He couldn’t believe he actually told them that.

“No, I haven’t,” Mia shrugged and crossed her arms on her chest, giving him a strange smile. “I’m just happy for you.”

“Mhm.”

“Although I didn’t know you have a thing for redheads...”

“Mia,” he hissed warningly, but she only grinned at him.

“Nothing bad about it,” she assured him swiftly. “I heard only good things about redheads, trust me. Is she natural?”

“Sorry for not asking.”

“No, that’s fine,” she made a vague gesture. “You look happy.”

“I am,” he muttered, glancing at the door. There probably weren’t the right words to describe _how_ happy he was, but he felt it filling him like an endorphin every time he merely thought of Evelyn. Being with her, actually watching her or hearing her laughter – it was so precious he probably never had been so much in love before and it was a little embarrassing.

“Glad your hermit’s phase is over, little brother,” she poked him to his chest, grinning cheekily. “We were afraid we’d find you in woods with a beard, eating mushrooms.”

“I happen to like mushrooms,” he opposed and shooed her away from more poking. “I’m just bad at finding them. So I’d probably starve.”

“Good thing Evelyn showed up,” Mia winked at him and as much as she was teasing, he could see she was genuinely happy for him. “Thanks for bringing her here.”

“It was her idea,” he mumbled, putting the plate down with a sigh. “Said it was fair since I’ve met her family already.”

“What’s her family like?”

“Not like her at all,” he responded quietly. Her mother was mostly alright, but her father definitely didn’t make the best impression – and apparently even worse goodbye. Cullen was glad he was able to get Eve out of there.

“You think she likes pink?”

“Pink?” he blinked in surprise at the question and Mia hummed thoughtfully.

“Well, I thought bridesmaid’s dresses would be really nice in pink.”

“Ugh, Mia.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Pink should be fine *Cullen screaming in the distance*.


	26. Dreamy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You don’t want him to stare at you with the puppy eyes,” Mia nodded resolutely. “That’s a weapon of mass destruction.”  
> “For sure,” Rosalile agreed.  
> “Is it?” Eve blinked in surprise. She never actually went through puppy eyes it seemed – not that Cullen’s absolutely normal expression wasn’t enough for her to melt. But it seemed a thing in the family and she grew a little curious.

“It’s pretty much up to you, really,” Mia was telling her with a light smile. It was a really pretty lady, probably just a tad older than Cullen, and on her hand there was a nicely looking ring, showing she was married. She had a similar colour of hair like her brother and it was freely cascading over her shoulders almost to her waist, making her elegant even with a button up pyjamas with giraffes on it.

“It’s not like we’d put a chastity belt on either of you,” she added with a chuckle, glancing at the direction of the door. Cullen was out of the living room and Eve wasn’t sure where exactly, but even if he was here with them, his sister wouldn’t let him come close anyway. They apparently meant to keep Eve for themselves at least for a bit, all the questions flying like they prepared it overnight and she wasn’t sure if it was out of curiosity or to get an ammunition against their brother.

“Not after so long without a girlfriend,” Rosalie on the other side of the couch grinned and Eve felt the hotness rising to her face. They kissed with Cullen and then kissed some more, but there was nothing more and the sudden revelation that she was going to spend another night with him in one bed finally dawned on her.

“We’re just glad he’s not alone anymore,” Mia gave her sister a reprimanding look before returning back to Eve with her brown eyes. She has them a little darker than Cullen, Eve noticed. “Not that he can’t take care of himself, but you know. He looks so happy now too.”

“He does?” she managed a little overwhelmed and Rosalie hummed in confirmation.

“He had that stupid look on his face.”

“Just dreamy,” Mia assured Eve happily.

“Oh,” Eve voiced out lamely, not really sure how to react. Should she have told them they personally met like… two days ago? That they knew each other online before that? She knew Mia wasn’t very big on gaming and all this stuff, Cullen mentioned some time ago when they were talking about online friendships and such. Would that make them disappointed?

They seemed genuinely happy about the fact Eve was here. It was so different from Eve’s family it proved almost too much to bear at first with all the happy chattering the girls made and they were just two of them. Keeping her wits on place while answering a storm of questions was harder and harder with each passing conversation.

“Can you imagine telling him Evelyn is going to sleep in a guest room instead of his?” Rosalie piped with a mischievous smile on her lips. She had shorter hair than Mia, but still longer than Eve herself, a little darker colour than the rest of her siblings. She had cute face and sparkling eyes and Eve could tell she was a little rascal when she wanted to. “Those puppy eyes, oh my.”

“You don’t want him to stare at you with the puppy eyes,” Mia nodded resolutely. “That’s a weapon of mass destruction.”

“For sure,” Rosalile agreed.

“Is it?” Eve blinked in surprise. She never actually went through _puppy eyes_ it seemed – not that Cullen’s absolutely normal expression wasn’t enough for her to melt. But it seemed a _thing_ in the family and she grew a little curious.

“Oh lady, be glad he didn’t have an opportunity to use it on you,” Rosalie nodded in all seriousness. “If you’re going to ever quarrel, be prepared he is going to win it just by this simple gesture. It’s like scolding a puppy and who does that?”

“No one, that is,” Mia agreed and Eve really didn’t know if they were just teasing her or if it was an experience talking.

“Are you two done already?”

Eve didn’t see Cullen entering the living room and his voice spooked her a little, like they were gossiping about him and he wasn’t supposed to hear that. But judging from mischievous smiles his sister gave him and his exasperated expression, he was already aware anyway.

“Don’t be so greedy,” Mia pouted, setting her hand on Eve’s shoulder like she wanted to keep her on spot. Not like Eve was already standing up, but the truth was she was rather sleepy and the idea of curling to Cullen’s form was rather appealing (alright, _very_ appealing, maybe on board of exciting, and she wondered if he knew or was the same as her).

“Me?” he played a horrified part, but when Mia laughed, he took several steps closer and crossed his arms on his chest in all seriousness. “It’s already past two in the morning; we drove for five hours and really should get some sleep.”

“Aww, but Eve isn’t sleepy yet,” Rosalie whined and looked at Eve like she wanted her to agree, but Eve only smiled apologetically and shrugged.

“I actually kinda am,” she said quietly and Rosalie _awwed_ once more, but nodded anyway, letting her go.

“We thought Eve can sleep in the guest room,” Mia piped with vengeance, standing up along with her. “You know, the one at the end of the hall?”

Cullen froze and Eve had to bite her lower lip to keep laughter from escaping her while walking towards him. He skimmed with his eyes from her form to his sisters and back and then cleared his throat.

“You want to?” he asked her carefully and so far no _puppy eyes_ appeared that would be worth mentioning. His hand immediately touched her waist, like he couldn’t bear to be without contact anymore, and she chuckled.

“No, not really,” she whispered, smiling at him softly, earning a relieved sigh that made his sister squeal with laughter behind them.

Eve wasn’t really surprised when he chased them out right after.

***

“Here, take this.”

She turned in surprise to a t-shirt Cullen was handing to her, smiling sheepishly at her. It took her a moment before she was able to take everything in when they arrived to Cullen’s room – or his used-to-be room, when he was still living here. According to him it had been _several years_ , but his mother still kept it like he never moved out, so when he spent night here, it was a little like coming home.

She found it rather adorable.

Her own family changed her room into a guest’s one right after she moved out like she never existed and as much as she wasn’t bitter about it, seeing it here in the state Cullen left it in without his parents keen on ruining it made her a little sad, probably, if that was the right word.

It was mostly a simple room – a nice, comfy bed with dark blue sheets in the middle, several wardrobes at the walls, two spacy windows and a table standing in front of one, neatly cleaned (she assumed his mum kept it that way and he didn’t really have time to mess it up anyway). The walls were in a light shade of blue and it was somewhat calming. It definitely looked like a guy lived here – or used to at least. Only the absence of an actual mess a person made when spending time in the room was making it a little cold and she wondered how his own flat looked like. Was he a messy person? Or was everything neat and on its rightful place?

She knew she wasn’t the neatest housewife under the sun – her clothes were usually everywhere but her wardrobe. Her mother was always livid when she came to her room and saw it. 

“So you don’t need to rumple your clothes again,” he returned her to their conversation and she reached for the t-shirt he was offering and barked out a laugh.

“Thanks,” she commented when she unrolled the garment and realized there was lettering with: _I’m not 30; I’m 18 with 12 years experience._

“I don’t really have many shirts in here,” he looked a little embarrassed for it, but she found it cute, especially when she pictured him wearing it. She was pretty sure he got it from Rosalie when he turned 30, she seemed to be the type.

“It’s alright,” she assured him happily. “I appreciate it.”

“Okay,” he nodded in relief, his eyes warm and gentle, and then apparently realized he had been staring, since he quickly looked away and coughed. “I’ll, uh… wait outside.”

“It’s fine,” she let out sooner than her thoughts caught up with her and then it was too late to take it back, so she just stared at him with wide eyes and caught up breath until he nodded and turned around to give her privacy, apparently not very sure what to do with himself.

She gulped down and felt the nervousness consuming her when she started to pull her shirt off. She knew Cullen was too much of a gentlemen to turn around and watch her, and she considered herself a little out of line when she wished for him to actually do it.

They were together now, right? Of course it didn’t mean they had to claw each other’s clothes down right the first moment they were alone with a bed, really. But they _were_ going to sleep together right now, and as much as she didn’t think pushing anything so soon would be wise, she still felt a building excitement in her belly anyway.

She noticed him shuffle on a spot, his hands in pockets, and she found herself unable to take her eyes off, her gaze exploring his back in an appreciative manner. He was really nicely built and tall and genuinely handsome, and she couldn’t help but wonder why somebody like him was staying single all this time.

Five years he said, right? Or more than five. With 3 years long term relationship he ended – or the girl ended it, who knew. Well, he said there was an inability to take up any responsibility on him for a long period of time – especially relationships – so that was probably the main reason. It definitely couldn’t be for the lack of admirers, really. She could see it on how her own cousins and other members of Trevelyan house were watching him all the time, especially Lotharn being all bold and actually making a move on him.

Which was satisfying when he didn’t even properly acknowledged her advances.

She hesitated with the pants, but then took them off too along with the striped socks and cleared her throat to alert him she was done. It took him about five seconds before he actually glanced at her, like he was gathering courage, and she could see how he swallowed hard when he noticed she was only in his t-shirt that was reaching about half of her thighs.

“All good?” she voiced out in an attempt to sound casual, even though her throat turned dry and tight under the heavy weight of his curious gaze.

“Suits you,” he chuckled, but sounded a little strained as well and she thought it was pretty much natural for them to be this way – fidgety and unsure, but oh-so-excited.

She smiled at him and padded to the bed, the mattress dipped under her comfortably and she quickly slunk under the covers to keep the cold that bit at her toes at bay, smoothing the blanket over. It was a soft, warm sheet and she could feel herself relaxing, even against all odds of sleeping in an unfamiliar environment.

The rustling of clothes made her focus back at Cullen and her eyes widened when she saw him undressing from his shirt, showing smooth lines of muscles on his back and naked skin she had an urge to touch.

“Um,” he suddenly stopped, glancing at her questioningly like it just occurred to him and she felt like getting caught red-handed while staring. “Do you mind if I sleep shirtless…?”

“I don’t mind,” she shook her head; relieved he didn’t ask her to stop ogling him like a creep, and Cullen nodded mutely. He put down the shirt on the back of the chair next to the table and walked towards the bed in a slow pace, sitting at the edge with a soft sigh.

“Is something wrong?” she piped, unsure, and Cullen offered a smile.

“Not at all,” he assured her. “Was just expecting you to be less relaxed.”

“Oh?”

“With my sisters,” he pointed out and crawled under the blanket as well, immediately filing the rest of the free space. “They tend to be very nosy.”

“They were pretty nice,” she shrugged and when Cullen leaned back to the pillow, she took the risk and inched closer, until she was able to curl up at his side and rest her head on his shoulder. He moved slightly and then his arm came around her back and pulled her flat to his side, making her hum in an appreciation.

“Loud,” he mumbled and she grinned, her hand tentatively reaching Cullen’s waist, touching it lightly. There was no bad reaction, he didn’t squirm or jerk away, and she called it a win, so she spread her hand over the hot skin there and heard him sigh.

“Bad?” she asked just in case and he barked out a laugh.

“You think I’d complain about a gorgeous woman touching me?”

“Ha-bloody-ha,” she scraped her nails over and he squirmed now a little, a short laugh escaping him. She stopped immediately, pondering, and then did it again, getting the same reaction.

“Are you ticklish?” she realized what it meant and Cullen cleared his throat before saying a _no_ , like he wasn’t sure himself. “Awww, you precious little bun.”

“ _Eve_ -,” he tried warningly, but it was already too late (for him at least, she just couldn’t resist) and the room got filled with laughter right after she attacked, tickling him mercilessly, eliciting a string of curses and pleas from the man, and good god, he was _gorgeous_. Maybe the sudden captivation she fell into gave him an upper hand, but suddenly she wasn’t the one on top, making him squirm, but under him, pinned to the bed with Cullen above her. His chest was heaving and eyes sparkling, and really, if he asked for her soul right now, giving her a parchment and a quill that wrote with her own blood, she would do it without blink of an eye.

“You’re a sly one,” he told her with a low voice, and her wrists he was holding her by were burning like thousands of fires, reaching her inner core.

“I’m trying,” she whispered back, her voice refusing to rise up to interrupt the fragile balance, the crackling aura that floated around them, the tension she felt seizing her body. Cullen watched her quietly for a moment, his eyes searching in hers, then skimming down to her lips, her neck and back up, taking a deep, calming breath – and no, that was not what she wanted, she didn’t want him to calm down and brush it aside, _not now_. With her hands held she used her bare foot to brush over his calf, not really knowing if it was going to convey the message – or any at all – and Cullen’s breath hitched, until he was moving again, this time down on her, his lips capturing hers without a question. And yes, _yes_ , that was it, and she hummed in appreciation into the kiss to show him she wanted it so much, and when he released her wrists to touch her face and the side of her neck, she circled her own arms around his shoulders and pulled him flush against her.

He was _burning_ and she couldn’t get enough of the heat, his skin under her fingers, the fact she could leave marks with her nails that would disappear a minute after, that she could feel the muscles moving under her touches, and that every single touch around the lower of his back elicited a hum from him, like he appreciated it a lot. And she couldn’t help but wonder what else was he was going to like, but most of her thoughts were just a mashed up feelings of _amazing_ with him kissing her deeply and thoroughly, and the heavy weight atop of her just couldn’t get any more delicious.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he whispered to her lips when they parted slightly and it made her shiver, the nerves in her whole body tingling when she was staring into his darkened eyes.

“I’m all yours for taking,” she answered, and it was cheesy as hell, and maybe a little stupid, but it spoke from her heart because _yes_ , she was _his_ and she wanted him to know. He closed his eyes for a several seconds, like he was trying to keep himself under control, and then growled and dived in again.

It was hot as _hell_ and she couldn’t get _enough_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> The writer's block is a real, evil thing I can't get rid of.  
> That and Blade and Soul that just came out... x.x So sorry for the delay!


	27. Useless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “At least they weren’t asking you for the colour of the bridesmaid dresses…” he sighed and heard her laugh. “Don’t laugh, Mia wants them pink.”  
> “I don’t mind pink,” she assured him in amusement. “It’s just funny.”  
> “Yeah, my sisters tend to be very hilarious,” he intertwined their fingers together and she kissed the side of his neck like in an appreciation.

It was useless. _He_ was useless. His hands were sliding across her body, her waist, her hips, down her thighs, and there was no stopping him. Not when she was making such _sounds_ and her hands were holding him close and her lips responded so fervently, and really, _how_ did he even earn such wonderful being in the first place?

Her skin was burning hot under his palms and the higher he reached under the shirt, along her sides, over the waist and to the chest, the hotter it became and her back was arching and lips voicing quiet pleas and there suddenly was no air in the room and it felt like the sweetest drowning he could ever live through. He felt her hands roaming over his back and down his arms, back to his shoulders and to the back of his neck, where she reached to his hair and grabbed a handful as if she needed to still herself somehow. The paths she touched burned like liquid fire and the delicious hotness was igniting him from the inside, abandoning the reality and focusing solely on her.

He traced her mouth with his lips, then lowered the touch to her chin, down the throat and to the side of her neck, tasting her curiously and she accommodated him in a silent invitation he was tempted to leave a mark on her just _because_.

God, he would never hear the end of it if she appeared in the kitchen tomorrow and his sisters would spot the hickey. Or his parents.

The sudden thought of them being in a house of his family as if called for action and they both froze when an unexpected door slam coming from the hallway reached their ears. Several long, quiet seconds passed and then Eve burst into laughter under him and he joined her with his own over the sheer absurdity of the situation.

“Sorry,” he chuckled, gently caressing her cheek. “Bad timing.”

“Don’t apologize,” she smiled at him softly and her hands slowly slid from his back, down along his arms. “I completely forgot where we are.”

“Likewise,” he nodded and took a deep breath. Letting go seemed like an awfully difficult thing to do right now, but he managed to disentangle enough to drop next to her so she could cuddle close and rest her head on his shoulder. It was almost surreal how natural it felt, even though it was a new thing for both of them. Although, yes, they slept together already, but they gravitated to each other during the unconscious phase of the night, not when they were both awake.

He found it absolutely amazing and it filled him with so much glee he barely contained his happy smile that stretched his lips automatically while running his fingers through the red flood of Eve’s hair.

They really fitted so well – like puzzle. Like they belonged without an evident effort, and if anybody told him about this after the first week he knew _Rosecult_ , he would never believe it could end up this way.

“Your sisters are pretty nice,” she spoke quietly, interrupting his thoughts, and he hummed. “And they really want you to be happy.”

“They told you that?” he chuckled, imagining Mia giving Eve a deep talk about relationship goals while showing off her ring to support her speech. She was happy with her husband, Cullen knew, and she always wanted the same thing for each of her siblings. When Branson got married, she was always nudging Cullen to be the next one, while Rosalie pouted in a corner, saying a bride’s dress really suited her.

“Yeah,” Eve nodded, her hand reaching for Cullen’s belly, resting there lightly.  He covered her hand with his and she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

“At least they weren’t asking you for the colour of the bridesmaid dresses…” he sighed and heard her laugh. “Don’t laugh, Mia wants them pink.”

“I don’t mind pink,” she assured him in amusement. “It’s just funny.”

“Yeah, my sisters tend to be very hilarious,” he intertwined their fingers together and she kissed the side of his neck like in an appreciation.

“Goodnight, Cullen,” she whispered to him, sounding drowsy and he kissed the top of her head and repeated the phrase.

_Yes, Mia. I’m genuinely happy now._

***

He woke up in the middle of the bed – maybe more to the Eve’s side of the mattress – and the first thing that greeted him was red hair right in front of his face, a naked shoulder peeking from the wide collar that slid down to one side, and a gentle curve of her hip with the shirt upturned to the half of her waist, showing the soft skin and pink lace of her underwear, before the rest got hidden under the blanket she had curled around her legs.

For a moment he quietly watched the image unfolding in front of him, taking in the scene like it could shatter any moment, and then realized the light had been already filling the room and he woke up because it was morning and the noise from downstairs could rise up the dead.

_Well, mum is awake it seems._

No way could she be quiet when she was cooking or generally moving around the house. That way nobody could sleep in, because she was more reliable than an alarm clock.

He sighed and slowly dropped a small kiss on Eve’s shoulder, just because he could, and her hand on his grew tighter, how she was holding it on her stomach. She was firmly snuggled to his front, seemingly sharing that much heat she didn’t really need the blanket, and he wondered how much wrath he would send on them if they stayed in bed a tad longer.

Or the whole day.

“’s morning already?” she mumbled, apparently stirred awake as well, and Cullen hummed, but didn’t move.

“Slept well?” he asked her and his voice was more rough than he anticipated, like he either didn’t use it for long or screamed for the whole night.

“Mhm,” she snuggled deeper into the pillow. “Wouldn’t mind a bit more though.”

“Yeah,” he agreed and as if in response another loud bang came from downstairs, as if somebody dropped a tray full of mugs and broke them.

“Or not,” Eve yawned and sat up, stretching like a cat and he watched her with a growing smile. His shirt looked good on her, domestic and _his_ , and he couldn’t help but reach out and touch her back like he wanted to make sure she wasn’t just an apparition.

She glanced at him over her shoulder and her eyes were sparkling.

God, how much he hoped his parents were going to be nice to her without any need to nag.

***

“She’s so thin!”

“Mum.”

“Give her more food, I’m sure she has to be hungry.”

“Dad.”

Mia looked like she couldn’t hold the laughter any longer and Rosalie was already hiccupping with red face and tears streaming down her cheeks. Eve seemed holding back smile too over the fact how mortified Cullen became when his mother greeted them right at the staircase. She talked to Eve like she already knew her and seated her down in the kitchen with a plate overflowing with food while asking what she wanted for a drink and how was the drive and if she was more of a dog person or a cat lover.

His dad decided more to observe than talk, but when Cullen looked at him, the man send him a wink and thumbs up and really, how could he _not_ be mortified over that?

***

“I like her.”

Cullen let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding until now and a relief washed over him in a tidal wave. It was finally quieter, the family dispersed around the house and the yard and Eve got literally dragged outside by their dog when Rosalie handed her a leash. She agreed to go for a walk with his sisters and for a moment he wasn’t sure if letting them go alone was a good idea, but when his mother asked him to stay, he didn’t have much of a choice.

He knew she wanted to talk about Eve, and he knew he owed it to her, sort of. Not being here for Christmas was already something she had to deal with after long years of attending, so she definitely wanted to know the reason for it.

Thankfully Eve didn’t mind going just with the girls, as she called it _a ladies hour_ , so it calmed him down a little. Man, he was really becoming a bit too overprotective and they were _a thing_ only for few days.

“You do?” he gave her a hopeful smile and the lady patted him on his shoulder and smiled. She was the only brown-haired person in the house and her hair was getting shorter and shorter by each passing year, how she found it more _practical_.

“I didn’t know you have a thing for redheads,” she pointed out and Cullen groaned. Mia was definitely her mother’s daughter, with the same concerns.

“It’s not a bad thing,” she assured him. “I like the colour, it’s so passionate.”

“Whatever you say,” he pinched the bridge of his nose and she laughed with delight.

“I’m glad you decided to stop by,” her voice softened. “I mean, it would be better on Christmas, but beggars can’t be choosers, right?”

“Look, I’m sorry I wasn’t here-,”

“No, it’s alright,” she shook her head. “I know the story, Mia told me. It was really nice of you to drive her all the way to Ostwick. How her family took it?”

_Mia, the famous chicken wuss._

“It was so lively I think they barely noticed,” he shrugged. “They have lots of relatives.”

 “Thank god our relatives are coming tomorrow and don’t bother us now,” she grinned and Cullen knew there was going to be a full house as well pretty soon. He was just glad they were not going to be here while the worst hit the fan. He really didn’t want Eve to suffer more than she had to now.

Or you know – being a centre of attention of his whole family and then some. They were fussing around her more than he anticipated but he still had a fleeting hope she didn’t mind it as much as she could, judging from her expression she had for the whole breakfast – smiling and talking and occasionally glancing in his direction while her eyes shone with mirth.

“Can she cook?”

Cullen rolled his eyes and decided he had enough.

***

“Oh god, what happened?”

Eve came back absolutely drenched and her pants were muddy and the dog was barking and running around happily while Rosalie tried to calm him down and Mia kept on apologizing. Eve could barely talk how hard she was laughing.

“He just wanted to play,” she assured Cullen between giggles when he was dragging the wet coat off her shoulders, frowning. “We have never had a dog, it’s _fantastic.”_

“I see how fantastic it is,” he uttered, glaring at the animal, earning another bark as a response.

“Aw, c’mon,” she kissed his cheek and her lips were cold and nose even more, and she knew it, since she kept on grinning at him like a child – and really, how could he stay mad at anything while she was looking like an angel? “It’s still a puppy, it’s normal.”

“He’s over one year old,” Cullen pointed out and another glare at the dog made the pup finally calm down and sit.

“That’s still a puppy,” she pointed out.

Her hair was wet too and her hands were cold as ice.

“You should take a hot bath,” Mia piped behind her while stripping from her own jacket. “You got pretty much drenched in the field.”

“You went all the way to the fields?” Cullen blinked in surprise. It was a chunk of a distance from here and with all the snow it had to be rather tiresome. He could tell how she managed to get so thoroughly wet though, if the dog wanted to play and pushed her into the snow. He knew he was trying to do it with Cullen too, but he still didn’t as much strength to actually get him down, just maybe to make him to take a step back when he really tried. With Eve though it had to be quite easy, she was such a lightweight.

“It’s so pretty there!” Eve told him excitedly. “You know, like in a fairy tale, everything silver and sparkling.”

“Mhm,” he hummed and before she could tell him more, he bent down and took her to his arms, carrying her bridal style up the stairs while she yelped ungracefully. “Bath time for you, princess.”

“Bath time for me~,” she sing-songed while glancing back at the girls who stared up at them in a surprising silence and Cullen wondered if it really looked as caveman-ish as he thought it did.

_Yeah, it probably did._

***

“I’m all frozen.”

He rubbed her arms in an attempt to warm her up and she giggled and reached up to him to steal another kiss. He abandoned her arms slowly and his hands slid up to the back of her neck, kissing her in return tentatively. She was standing there in a tank top and barefooted and her wet hair was chilling his fingers. They managed to strip her only from the pullover before they were suddenly kissing again, and Cullen didn’t mind it a single bit.

“Come on, let’s get you warmer again,” he mumbled to her lips while walking her to the bathtub where hot water was filling it, and his hands fell down to the rim of her tank top, tugging at it.

“I am getting warmer right now,” she opposed playfully and really, she was irresistible and he didn’t know _how_ he was supposed to leave her alone in this room now, especially when his brain decided not to _think_ but act, reaching under the tank top and pulling it up.

“I meant with water,” he replied a little uselessly and she rose up her arms so he could discard her tank top in one swift move, leaving her only in a bra and her muddy pants.

“Mhm.”

“Eve,” he breathed out a little helplessly and she chuckled and gently nudged his shoulder.

“Going to join me, _Commander_?”

She was a pure evil and he loved her to bits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Sorry I completely blew up the regular posting QQ It was a rough time at work and the motivation dropped to zero, therefore I'm squeezing words out of me with difficulty :/
> 
> Anyway! Almost domestic couple happiness xD


	28. No Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “And we will probably see each other in the game,” she pointed out with a laugh. “Who knows how it ended up there with us gone for three days.”  
> “Anarchy, definitely,” he grinned and kissed her one more time, longer now, surer. “You at work on 28th?”  
> “Yeah,” she sighed unhappily. “Until 31th. You?”   
> “Forced to take vacation until next year,” he mumbled and she barked out a laugh.

“I swear to god I don’t want to see your car for at least a week.”

Cullen barked out a laugh while finally turning off the engine and the laughter didn’t subside the more Eve pouted about it.

“Stop laughing, I’ve spent too much time in here for my own comfort,” she nudged his shoulder, but the laughter didn’t really subside, even though he nodded what looked like in an understanding.

They spent about 15 hours in this car – 5 on their way to Ostwick, then another 5 to South Reach (or maybe something over 5, closer to 6) and another 5 to Denerim where they finally stopped in front of Eve’s house. It was close to 10 in the evening and she felt tired and a little broken and really, no cars for at least a month!

Not that she wasn’t grateful for it. She appreciated his help immensely – and him wholesomely, so she couldn’t really be mad about traveling. Just, you know. For comfort of them both.

Cullen’s family didn’t wanted to let them go, but Eve really craved a bit of alone time before she’d have to go to work again on 28th, and Cullen looked like he wouldn’t mind to leave either, so they embarked on another long journey through Ferelden just to arrive at night.

“I get it, I get it,” he chuckled, finally calming down, and undid his belt to exit the car, so he could take out Eve’s luggage out of the boot. She followed him in a slower pace, the cold breeze immediately hitting her in full force along with snow floating around, and she shivered and pulled her coat tighter to her body.

“Is there a lift in the house?” his voice startled her a little before she realized he had been standing next to her, watching her questioningly. He seemed underdressed for the weather – his neck was bare and jacket open – but he didn’t look like the cold bothered him in any way.

“No,” she shook her head. “It’s an old building.”

“Alright,” he nodded and locked the car, then grabbed the luggage again and walked towards the door. “Let’s get you inside, or you’d freeze to death.”

“Good idea,” she agreed with him and unlocked the front door with a sigh. She was so damn tired it was almost unreal; the day was hectic at the best, although mostly in a good sense. Rutherfords were the nicest bunch of people she’d ever met, Cullen’s sisters were supportive and chatty and his parents had the old fashioned caring streak in them she loved to bits. It was probably a little sad, but she definitely enjoyed the day at their home more than she did in Trevelyan’s household, with her own family. Especially with her father acting like an idiot and her mother showing zero support.

When she unlocked the door to her flat, the coldness was basically the same as in the hall and she hurried to switch the heating on while quietly cursing. When she returned to the door, Cullen was standing in front of them, looking a little lost, and it took her a while before she realized he wasn’t probably sure what to do next.

“Want to come in?” she offered without hesitation and he cleared his throat, looking around.

“I should probably check on my flat as well,” he shrugged next, but there was reluctance in his face and she smiled and walked up to him, locking him in a hug.

“Okay,” she mumbled into his chest. She wouldn’t mind having him over – not at all – but maybe they both needed to acclimatize a little, breathe out the stress that accumulated over the three days, come in terms of what they were going to do now.

He lifted her head up so he could kiss her lips softly and it was so gentle she almost refused to let him go and only strengthened her hold.

“I’ll call you?” he offered when they parted and she hummed, smiling at him dreamily.

“And we will probably see each other in the game,” she pointed out with a laugh. “Who knows how it ended up there with us gone for three days.”

“Anarchy, definitely,” he grinned and kissed her one more time, longer now, surer. “You at work on 28th?”

“Yeah,” she sighed unhappily. “Until 31th. You?”

“Forced to take vacation until next year,” he mumbled and she barked out a laugh.

“ _Forced_ , you’re really something,” she squeezed his arm and thought of Cassandra ordering him to stay away from the station or she would kick him out personally. She seemed the type. “I’ll gladly exchange it with you.”

“I’m sure I’d excel at paperwork,” he nodded with faked seriousness and she shook her head and finally stepped away, her hand slowly sliding down from his arm all the way to his palm, where she held him lightly. “Goodnight, Eve.”

“Night, Cullen,” she smiled and let go of his hand, immediately missing the warmth. Judging from the deep breath he took he was the same, but neither of them said anything else and she was grateful for that.

She would never let him go otherwise.

***

It was bizarre, taking in the short time she spent with him, but when she woke up in the morning, everything seemed colder and lonelier than normally. There was a dog barking under her window and somebody shouting at him to stop, and music beat faintly coming from seemingly everywhere, and Eve suddenly found it alien, even though she got used to it after months of living here. But now, when she came back from the trip, it seemed all weird and unnatural.

She missed him. She missed him so much it made her get up from the bed and go make tea to keep herself busy. The clock showed something past seven in the morning and she couldn’t shake the feeling it was a mistake to let him go in the middle of the night.

It would be fine if he stayed. It would be amazing if he really did. If he was stubborn or maybe a bit forceful and decided he didn’t want to leave her – and he didn’t, at least he looked like he didn’t, but being polite and everything, he let her enjoy alone time. Or maybe he wanted to be alone for a while too and she was reading too much into it.

She put the mug with steaming tea on the bed table and a plate with cookies Cullen’s mother decided to pack her with (they were beyond delicious and she was so grateful) next to it, and sat down on the mattress with a heavy sigh, booting up her laptop to go play at least. It was early and she didn’t want to bother him with texts or calls when he was still sleeping.

**[Alliance][Harding]: Inquisitor! Long time no see :)**

**[Alliance][Rosecult]: Hi :)**

**[Alliance][Harding]: We were afraid you gave up on the game. Would be pity now, when you reached such status.**

**[Alliance][Rosecult]: No no, I’ve just been a little busy.**

**[Alliance][Harding]: Oh yes, we heard from the Commander.**

Eve stopped in surprise. Cullen was already online? She quickly checked her friend list, but he was grey and inactive, so it must have been before she logged in. Or maybe tomorrow night?

**[Alliance][Rosecult]: Was he online already?**

**[Alliance][Harding]: Yes, about an hour before you. He wasn’t there long but he said he’s going to log in again soon.**

An hour before her? He couldn’t sleep? Her hand itched to reach for the phone and dial his number – or at least text him – but she stilled herself. Maybe he went back to sleep, right? It was early.

**[Alliance][Rosecult]: Thank you :)**

There were only little people from the alliance online now so she spent most of the time talking to Harding about holidays and presents and family while doing daily quests and deflecting some random attacks that occurred as if out of habit, along with flood of messages from different alliances, wanting to create an union with them.

As it seemed her log in message appeared through the whole server so everybody knew when she was online and she found it a little scary when people were constantly aware of her.   

_A bitter fate of the Inquisitor, eh._

***

She almost dropped a cookie when her phone went off, filling the otherwise quiet room with bright sound of her ringtone, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Cullen’s name on the display. The clock showed something past ten and she wondered if he just woke up and felt the same misery she did with the absence of the other.

”Hi!” she greeted him maybe in an overly excited manner and immediately heard him chuckle, which send a pleasant shivers down her spine.

“How cheerful,” he teased her softly, his voice rumbly and warm. “Slept well?”

“Not really,” she shrugged, putting down the cookie. “Woke up to a cold bed. Miss you.”

“I miss you too,” he said back and his tone was full of longing that she almost asked him for an address so she could come over. Not that Denerim’s addresses really meant something to her – she would probably wander around for a bit before asking passing people for directions.  

“I’ve wanted to call sooner, but I didn’t know if you were awake so…” he trailed off and she bit her lower lip to stop herself from laughing. The same concern.

“I was up at seven, more or less,” she told him. “I heard you at six?”

“Harding?” she was sure he grinned now.

“Yup.”

“Yeah, at six,” he agreed with a sigh. “Couldn’t sleep, so I log in, did some things that needed my attention, logged off, went out running.”

“Oooh,” she pictured him all sweaty and it was doing wonders to her imagination. “Keeping fit, hm?”

“It’s good for clearing up my head,” he responded simply.

“And you needed to clear your head?”

“Since I know where you live, yes, I did, otherwise I’d…” he trailed off and she held her breath in anticipation.

“Come over?” she filled in the silence and heard a sigh.

“Yeah.”

“I wouldn’t mind if you did,” she offered, her heart picking up a faster beat. She was like an addict, she knew that. All the symptoms were right – the longing, the unhappiness, the urge to feel the presence again – she was so in love she never felt like that before.

Why did she let him go yesterday again? She didn’t remember but it must have been stupid.

“Tease,” he said and it sounded a little sad and she just couldn’t remain on spot with him sounding this way.

“Are you busy today?” she asked without pleasantries, because why? He knew what she wanted and she felt like he was the same, so why circling around it like two teenagers who never been in love before, because she was sure as hell they both were at some point. This just hit harder for some reason – at least for her it did – and she didn’t want to keep it at bay just because it was safer or whatever nonsense her mother would spout.

Life was short and she was in love.

“Are you?” he replied with a question and she smiled and shook her head, even though he couldn’t see it.

“Not at all,” she added for a good measure and there was a chuckle from his side that finally sounded happier than the rest. “Want to meet up somewhere or stop by?”

“I can stop by,” he offered meekly. “Then we can think of something? I’m not really sure what’s going on around here at this time of the week, so…”

“Sounds good to me,” she assured him and her stomach was full of butterflies, swarming there in huge numbers.

She just couldn’t _wait_.

***

She had a speech prepared. She knew exactly what to tell him and what she would do (a hug first, a small kiss next, not too needy, just enough to greet him, offering something drink or eat, all that jazz). She was ready.

But when the doorbell rang and Cullen ran up the stairs and appeared in her doors, everything sort of disappeared and then they were kissing like they were starving and if she ever thought about an evident attraction that made her brain to go blank – this would be a perfect example of it. She just didn’t think of anything anymore, just hopped into it without hesitation and only faintly recognized that the door behind them closed and she had been carried to the living room while messing up Cullen’s hair with her hands and biting his lower lip playfully.

“I swear I’ve wanted to ask you to go to the city with me,” he whispered to her lips, laughing in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry.”

“I have no problem with either way,” she assured him with a smile and felt her feet touching the ground again, how he settled her down slowly. “What’s in the city?”

“The market,” he cleared his throat, but didn’t retract his hands from her waist. “It’s a bit of a Christmas one still, but there is an annual thing going on between the New Year and Christmas, I thought you’d like to see it.”

“I’d love to,” she nodded happily and his face lit up with a smile that could probably melt anyone’s heart.

It definitely did hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> u.u I miss being in love *heavy sigh*


	29. Hands Holding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Of course I did,” she nudged his shoulder. “I just had to, it reminded me of you.”  
> “It’s a plushie,” he told her in an attempt to be stern, but corners of his lips were tugging up when she was grinning at him cheekily. Her joy was overly contagious, she had to be aware of that.  
> That little minx.   
> “Well, I could have bought a bucket, since your helmet -,”  
> “It’s a lion.”

It was a little embarrassing – or maybe a lot – when Cullen kept on thinking how he wanted to hold Eve’s hand like a middle-schooler and couldn’t bring himself to do it. They were walking through the market, their sides brushing, and Cullen fell into a deep thoughts process, gathering courage and then dissipating it again in thought it was immature to ask to hold her hand.

He was over thirty. He was an adult.

Or maybe not. She would find it immature anyway, wouldn’t she?

The whole market was packed with people and many of them were couples – holding each other around their waists or by her elbows or just walking next to each other. For handholding it was probably a bit too cold, right? It wasn’t really snowing, but it grew chilly and Eve had her hands hidden in her pockets to warm herself up, since both of them forgot to take winter gloves anyway. Asking her for such a small, stupid gesture would just prove uncomfortable.

At least… she seemed like a type who got cold fairly fast and he seriously didn’t want to cause her any discomfort. Not by something he probably never even did in his life, because he had been either too shy when young or too unattached when older.

She was definitely messing him up thoroughly. The scary thing was that he didn’t mind a single bit.

“Oh my god, look!” her voice suddenly interrupted him from his thoughts and he blinked and followed her gaze towards a stall with all kind of trinkets. There were several curious people standing near it, blocking most of the view, but when they came a little closer, he realized that she was pointing at a necklace with an oddly familiar symbol. A sword and a fiery eye? It took him a moment before he realized it had been basically the same as was shown in the Dragon Age game of their Inquisition and he felt his lips widening in a smile.

“Oh, that’s nice,” he commented and reached for it while she followed the gesture with her eyes. “Who would have thought we could find something like this on the market?”

Eve smirked and leaned into him as if she wanted to share warmth and it really wasn’t a question for him to get it for her, no matter how she was protesting, so when he was putting it on her neck, it made him almost stupidly pleased.  

It was almost ironic, but her wearing it seemed like a right thing – and her eyes sparkled with so much joy it was the biggest reward alone.

“I forgot to give you the lion,” her face suddenly fell and Cullen blinked in confusion.

“The what?” he raised an eyebrow – was there a pendant with a lion he overlooked or…?

She sighed and they started walking through the crowd again, the delicious smell of wine and meat floating around them, urging them closer and taste it. Cullen thought a glass of sweet, hot mulled wine would at least make him lose up a little. Not that he was tense or anything – not in her presence – but it seemed like his tongue needed to get rid of the filter that prevented him from asking about small, stupid things that should have come naturally.

Probably.

“The plushie,” she clarified like it was a big problem, and her hand was gently tracing the pendant. “I told you about it before, remember?”

“Oh no,” he groaned, immediately remembering the phone conversation they had and which started with a bear at first. He really thought she was joking when she said she bought the lion, he really, really did. “Please tell me you didn’t buy that huge thing.”

“Of course I did,” she nudged his shoulder. “I just had to, it reminded me of you.”

“It’s a plushie,” he told her in an attempt to be stern, but corners of his lips were tugging up when she was grinning at him cheekily. Her joy was overly contagious, she had to be aware of that.

That little minx.

“Well, I could have bought a bucket, since your helmet -,”

“It’s a lion.”

“See, so I got you a lion, you can’t complain,” she chuckled, taking all the words from his mouth, so he only sighed in defeat and let her win. When she pulled him to the stall with the wine, he was actually glad to bubble his embarrassment away.

Really, a grown-ass man with a stuffed toy? She had to be joking and he still hoped she did.

Mia would never let him to live it down.

***

“They didn’t try to reach you?”

Eve shrugged like it was no big deal, but he saw how her body tensed a little at it, so it must have been a sensitive topic. Her whole family was probably a bit of a sore spot – especially after the Christmas with the fiasco with her father, so asking apparently wasn’t the smartest thing to do.

“I haven’t expected them to do so,” she confessed quietly, watching the crowd in the market like the view calmed her down. The place was still full enough to hear the buzzing and being able to get lost if separated, and they stepped to the side to get out of the flow for a while. The weather got a little worse, snow started falling heavily and the sky visibly darkened, making the street lamps blink awake, filling the square with an orange hue.

“They’ll come around eventually,” he tried to cheer her up a little and took her gently around her shoulders, squeezing a bit and then letting go again. “It’s not like you’re living on the other side of the world, right?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, but her expression didn’t really change and Cullen couldn’t chide himself enough. He thought of getting more wine – even though they already had about three glasses – just to get her a little warmer and busier, but when he opened his mouth to offer it, he felt a gentle squeeze on his hand that stopped him.

“You mind?” she looked up to him a little hesitantly and really, it was this easy? Just reach for her hand and ask if she minded? Why he didn’t think of it before?

_Hopeless._

“Definitely not,” he assured her, trading their fingers together and when her lips curled up in a smile, he felt the relief washing over him like a tidal wave.

“What’s up with the face?” she chuckled since it apparently showed in his expression and he barked out laugh and shook his head.

“Just…” he looked down at their joined hands. “I’ve been walking round the market while thinking how to ask you if I can hold your hand and you just went and did it like it was no big deal and I feel a little lame for it.”

“Aww,” she nudged him with her shoulder. “You really are a knight in shining armour, so proper.”

He smirked and for a moment thought that yeah, maybe he had been, if it was for her.

***

“Oh god.”

“Take it!”

“Eve…”

“Please.”

He reached for the enormous plushie with an evident hesitation and Eve was grinning like a kid on Christmas when he held the lion in his hands. It was really big, probably like half his body and he had no idea where to put it or how to hold it without looking so out of place like he felt. He had a plushie when he was about ten, and that was the last one, since then there had been no favourite stuffed animal or anything in his vicinity, so the sudden presence of _this_ made him slightly unsure how to proceed. It had been overly fluffy and really soft and he had to admit the urge to squeeze it got a little overwhelming.

He just hoped it didn’t make any noises when you did.        

“Dorian says you both look adorable,” Eve giggled and one look was enough for him to know she held a phone in her hand and apparently snapped a photo of him when he wasn’t looking – and sent it to Dorian on top of that.

Yeah, he was never going to live that down either.

“Oh, you didn’t,” he said warningly and her face changed into fully innocent one, like she just fell from the heaven by an accident, just the halo was missing. Her red hair was curling on its ends how it was wet from the snow and she messed it up even more when she pulled the scarf over her head, which made her adorable to no end.

He had an urge to drop the lion and run his fingers through the soft strands, just because. To be quite honest, he had many, many urges at the moment, and it was probably not the best thing while there was a plushie between them.

“A rare opportunity, you have to understand,” she chirped happily, but put the phone down as a peace offering and smiled sheepishly, probably expecting a lecture.

A lecture?

Oh, yes, a lecture in kissing, probably. That sounded good.

“Mhm,” he hummed and sat the lion on the sofa, patting his head like it was a dog that should guard them, and she burst in laughter, which gave him the needed time to get to her without her paying that much of an attention. Her eyes widened when he stepped into her personal space and breath visibly hitched in her throat, and then he was kissing her and her hands latched onto his shoulders and brought them closer, dragging herself higher, her hands burying in his hair.

He had no idea why he couldn’t really control himself when they were alone, but who cared – he was in love and he wanted her so much it almost physically hurt to be apart from her sometimes.

 _I fell deep_.

She tasted like wine and unbearable sweetness and he felt a little drunk from it all, his head was spinning and the hotness rising up like an inferno, and when she was making those soft, needy noises in the back of her throat it was literally impossible to regain some common sense.

„I take it you like the lion?“ she teased him breathlessly when they parted for air, her fingers gently caressing the skin on his neck. Her eyes were blew wide and dark, the green almost invisible over the blackness of the pupil, and he knew he was the same.

“I like the lion,” he told with a rougher voice than he intended to and felt her shiver in his arms. “Thank you, love.”

She looked like she wanted to say something, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came, so she closed it again and then shook her head.

“Hm?” he slid his hand from her waist up, to her face, brushing against her cheek. “Something is wrong?”

“No,” she shook her head again and when his hand reached the side of her neck, he could feel her heart pounding madly at her pulse point.

“I can leave,” he offered to her, even though his body was probably rooted to the spot. But there was no way in the world he would push her into anything, _ever_. He couldn’t tell if she was scared or not, if there was the same amount of need and love as on his side, but if she was going to tell him to go, he would without a single word against it.

They had plenty of time. Hell, they had all the time in the world if they wanted.

“Please don’t,” she said quietly and then reached up and brushed their lips together, making Cullen’s mind go blank. “Stay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> She broke him, for sure.


	30. Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “There has to be at least something,” she insisted. “Or are you a literal prince Charming?”  
> “Definitely not,” he grinned at her cheekily. “But if you insist on calling me Your Majesty…”  
> “Ha,” she pinched his side and he yelped a little, squirming from her touch. “You aim high.”  
> “Always,” he caught her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it teasingly and then licking the tips of her fingers. “But I haven’t killed anyone, if you’re concerned about that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of M rating.

The sky was almost dark with the heavy snowflakes falling from it, making the city look like underneath a white curtain. The gradually diminishing light was making the room darker and darker with each passing minute, since the one tiny window in the middle of the room didn’t have much space to offer more.

Eve didn’t notice any of it though. It was really difficult to pay attention to anything else than were the touches burning her body alive – but in a good, absolutely terrifyingly amazing sense. Cullen’s hands were sliding across her skin without hesitation and she _loved_ it. When he pulled at the shirt, she immediately got rid of it, offering more bare skin to touch, and every time she did that, he had to stop, take a deep breath and then kissed her deeply like he was saying _thank you_. And if that didn’t make her feel loved and _wanted,_ then nothing else could.

She pulled at his shirt as well, dragging it off his body and over his head with a needy pace that almost got him too tangled with it to get it off. He barked out a laugh and discarded it completely in a second, his eyes sparkling with warmth and love, and she couldn’t help but laugh as well, even though the sight of him half naked was definitely warming her up more than she thought it would.

His hands returned back to her bare waist, his palms slowly gliding over the skin, before he bent down and kissed her belly gently, traveling up across the abdomen and to her neck, his stubble scraping her and igniting even deeper desire. He had been patient and thorough, he didn’t push her or press her into anything, and it felt almost too dreamy to be true. It was like he wanted to know her from head to toe, every contour and every patch of skin, and when he finally returned back to her lips and kissed her like he was starving, she already burned more than thousands of fires.

“Cullen,” she breathed out, completely overwhelmed by his intoxicating proximity, and he stopped for a moment and watched her quietly, like he was trying to memorize her to the tiniest detail.

“Are you sure?” he asked in a low voice, almost rough one like he was holding back by the power of sheer will – and if he did, if he really was close to losing control – she couldn’t deny it was doing _things_ to her. A part of her wished for him not to ask about anything and do what he wanted, but part of her _loved_ how attentive and caring he was, how his hands weren’t holding her down, but only resting, like he wanted to be sure she was really up to it.

“Very sure,” she nodded, her lips curling up in a smile to assure him she really meant it. It wasn’t just the power of the moment, although she would be lying if she said there was nothing of it either. It was them, the gravity colliding, the love blooming and consuming, and for a foolish moment it almost felt like sealing a pact, like saying _yes_ to everything that meant to bind them together, acknowledging they were indeed a pair, lovers, a couple.

He smiled back and reached for her hand, kissing her knuckles one by one and then turned her palm up, pecking her there and continued to the pulse point on her wrist, where she mewled.

“You’re absolutely stunning,” he said softly while kissing her once more and she sighed into his mouth and opened her legs to let him closer, to accept his full weight on her. He had strong back when she roamed her hands over the bare skin, and unyielding muscles that childishly made her feel safe, and his kisses made her head spin and body arch up. She wasn’t entirely sure when he managed to get her bra undone and when he slipped it off to the ground, but the touches were insistent and loving after and she really wanted to feel him _more_.

“I love you so much,” he whispered to her ear and she threw her head back with a lustful moan, her body in bliss, feeling him with every inch of her skin, closer and more, touching and kissing and making her relaxed and tense at the same time, changing rapidly how the anticipation grew. She wasn’t sure what exactly her hands were doing, how she pulled at his pants and how she held him close, she just _knew_ she _wanted_ and her fever grew and he was the only remedy that could help.

“ _Eve_ ,” her name made her quiver and clutch his shoulders, probably leaving red crescents by her nails when he filled her completely, stealing her breath away. She couldn’t deny there _was_ a small, uncomfortable moment before she adjusted and made herself relax, but at that point she could feel his body stop, waiting for her like a goddamn prince Charming, and when he brushed his lips over her throat up to her chin, she felt her body go limp and accepting like a spell was put on her.

Hell, maybe it was.

She moved with him in a rhythm, a pace they found with surprising ease, and he was strong and greedy and she felt her skin tingle with each kiss and love bite he landed where he could reach while holding her hips in a firm grip, controlling the motion completely. Her breath was coming out in short, harsh puffs how she was trying to even it, but it was useless battle she never had a chance to win.

And quite honestly – she didn’t even want to.

***

„What a small hand.”

“It’s a normal size. Your hands are just too big.”

“Are they now.”

Eve chuckled and let Cullen to intertwine their fingers together. His hand was successfully covering hers and it was warm and gentle, and she sighed in pleasure and snuggled closer to him. The sky got black outside and the snowing didn’t stop and she was glad the heating decided to work today, since lying naked while freezing would be a mood killer for sure.

Not that she would be cold – Cullen was successfully warming her up with just being there, like he alone was sort of a personal heater for her right now. His free hand kept on running through her hair or occasionally sliding down to her cheek or side of her neck, caressing her lovingly, and if she wasn’t so exhausted, she would probably straddle his hips for it, showing him _her_ love. She never felt so sensual before in her life, so needy and wanton, it was like he ignited something in her and she just couldn’t get rid of it.

But hey, she didn’t even want to.

Unfortunately their lovemaking sapped all energy she had, leaving her able only to lie at his side, letting herself to be pampered, and really, why was she even complaining?

Wait, no, she wasn’t complaining. She just couldn’t really believe it.

This guy was insane. Impossible. It couldn’t be real to have somebody who was handsome as hell, gentleman, polite, funny _and_ on top of all that also damn good in bed _and_ for a first try. Not Eve’s first – and definitely not his – but first _theirs_ and it usually wasn’t so much in synch, so _easy._ Of course it was more of a mapping, more analysing the reactions to be ready to use them next time, but apart from that it was simply _perfect_.

She couldn’t stop herself from wondering if he’d let her lead the whole thing, if he would submit enough for her to control the pace and the position, the pleasure they both could feel if they put a bit more patience to it (and she honestly understood why they didn’t now, it just built up for a while and this was sort of an explosion), or if he would be against it. He seemed like a type who enjoyed having the upper hand – not forcefully, but it was there, she felt it and it was really, really exciting. She didn’t see such behaviour in him normally with him being so nice all the time, so this hidden part of him made it all even better.

But really. It had to be a dream. There had to be a catch, right? Maybe he was a serial killer or a hidden egoist or a werewolf. Or maybe she had a long, nice sleep somewhere, making him up in the process.

“So what’s your dark secret?” she asked, gazing at him from her side of the pillow, and he smirked, apparently really amused by the question. His blond hair was all messed up (she was to blame, but he looked so damn adorable), his face relaxed and body heavy and she couldn’t keep her hands off him. His skin was warm to touch and almost inviting her to trail her fingers over it, to drop small kisses when she wanted, or leave marks just because.

“I dislike apples,” he deadpanned.

“No!” she faked a dramatic response and he chuckled and shook his head.

“No,” he admitted, his hand moving back to her cheek, his thumb drawing abstract shapes on her skin. “I can’t just tell you my dark secret, you’d run away.”

“There has to be at least _something_ ,” she insisted. “Or are you a literal prince Charming?”

“Definitely not,” he grinned at her cheekily. “But if you insist on calling me _Your Majesty_ …”

“Ha,” she pinched his side and he yelped a little, squirming from her touch. “You aim high.”

“Always,” he caught her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it teasingly and then licking the tips of her fingers. “But I haven’t killed anyone, if you’re concerned about that.”

No serial killer then. Although what serial killer would admit he was killing people, right?

“No, not really,” she shrugged, watching him with half lidded eyes. “You’re just so perfect, it’s unreal.”

“Oh, I’m definitely very far from perfect, love,” he assured her, releasing her hand slowly. His eyes dimmed a little and she wasn’t sure if it meant there was something really bad coming or he just saw something he liked. “I’m hot headed and I tend to get jealous _very_ easily.”

“ _You_ are hot headed?” she raised an eyebrow. He seemed the type who thought twice before acting for some reason – considering him hot headed didn’t look right in her book. Although little spontaneous streak would be nice at times. “Then I must be without borders.”

“Mhhhm,” he pulled her closer and she circled his neck with her arms. It should have been a little uncomfortable – they got sweaty and sticky and refused to go take a bath to leave the bed, but to the hell with it, she didn’t think of moving anytime soon if she could help it.

Her mother would lose her mind if she knew that. It made her strangely satisfied.

“You’re perfect and I love you,” she told him quietly. “Even as a serial killer.”

“Shhh,” he laughed and she was pretty sure his chivalry could disarm about anyone. He wouldn’t even need to use a weapon to kill.

***

It was her phone that woke her up from the warm cocoon she was nestled in. She reached for the offensive device almost blind how she refused to open her eyes to acknowledge it was already morning, and then stopped when she realized there was a heavy weight pinning her down.

It took her about ten seconds before the reality crashed back into her consciousness – Cullen in her bed, spending the night, softly breathing next to her apparently not woken up by the offending alarm clock. It was 28th and she had to go to work and the sight of her _lover_ next to her, looking dishevelled and with a two day stubble and absolutely gorgeous made her disgusted by the idea to actually leave the bed – the flat itself – and go willingly to the office with the perfume box.

To leave _him_.

She hesitated for a moment, her hand lingering above the phone, and then let out a sigh.

She couldn’t just take vacation when she said she wouldn’t, not when the job was still supposedly fresh. It wasn’t like she would never meet Cullen again either or he would magically disappear once she the door to her house would close.

They had _plenty_ of time, right? They were just starting to date, and she understood the lovey dovey atmosphere that was making her greedy and unhappy to leave him, but she wasn’t fifteen anymore and he wasn’t a magic spell next midnight would destroy.

 _But still_.

She watched him quietly, noting how his arm was possessively thrown around her waist, holding her at place, and realized she had been smiling like an idiot the whole time.

She was definitely going to hear a lot on that topic from Florianne, she could almost already hear it.

***

The room smelled like roses and it was making her sneeze every twenty seconds when she entered for the first time. The heavy scent was lingering in the office like deadly poison, tickling her nose viciously, and Florianne looked downright offended when Eve opened the window without asking and breathed a bit of a fresh air.

She was in a too good mood to actually pay her any mind.

***

**Cullen – 8:22 –**

**I didn’t mean to sleep for so long :( I don’t understand how you managed not to wake me up D:**

**Evelyn – 8:24 –**

**I was especially sneaky ;) And you slept like a baby! Didn’t have the heart to wake you.**

**Cullen – 8:26 –**

**So sad.**

**Evelyn – 8:28 –**

**Aw, don’t be ;) You’d just get scared if you saw me in the morning anyway :D**

**Cullen – 8:30 –**

**I already saw you in the morning, love :P**

Every time he called her _love_ , her heart beat faster, the happiness bubbled in her excitedly. It was probably a little stupid to be happy over a nickname – or if could be considered nickname anyway – but the sole fact he decided to call her that way couldn’t beat the spreading warmth. Not even icy glares from her colleague when she nursed her phone for about ten minutes already. During holidays the work was minimal though, so there was no reason for her to get stingy over Eve’s empty table.

Or hers on that matter.

**Evelyn – 8:36 –**

**So you know how scary it can be!**

**Cullen – 8:40 –**

**I have no idea what are you talking about. You look adorable every time :)**

 “Flatterer,” she smiled and ignored Florianne’s glares profusely. She wondered if he stayed at her place or not – and quite frankly she wanted him to, so the returning home would be that much sweeter. Before she could ask, her colleague put several papers on her table and she decided not to antagonize her further and rather returned back to work.

*******

**Cullen – 13:32 –**

**What time are you off?**

**Evelyn – 13:33 –**

**In half an hour :) Thankfully. I can’t take any more of the smell D:**

**Cullen – 13:34 –**

**What is it today?**

**Evelyn – 13:35 –**

**Roses. But like… over sweetened, over aromatic, over everything roses that made me sneeze :D She looked offended when I opened the window :D**

**Cullen – 13:36 –**

**:D Well, serves her right. Want me to pick you up?**

**Evelyn – 13:37 –**

**What, by car? D:**

**Cullen – 13:38 –**

**I’m not that cruel :D I meant by foot, just… stop by?**

**Evelyn – 13:40 –**

**You would?**

She didn’t know why it surprised her, but the sole image of him waiting for her in the pompous vestibule of the building made her overexcited, like a kid on Christmas.

**Cullen – 13:41 –**

**Of course I would.**

**Evelyn – 13:42 –**

**:) :) :)**

**Cullen – 13:43 –**

**Is that a yes?**

**Evelyn – 13:44 –**

**Most definitely! <3**

*******

It was ridiculous, but her heart was pounding all the way from her office through the hallway and to the vestibule. Florianne was walking behind her with another colleague and if they were talking about her at some point, Eve didn’t really listen. Her mind was a bit of a haze, and when she managed to get through the main door, her breath hitched from the sight of Cullen standing next to the reception desk, smiling at her warmly, hands in pockets of his jeans. He had a light jacket and a scarf around his neck, but otherwise seemed like outside wasn’t winter at all and she kind of understood after spending the night with him – he was definitely much warmer than she had ever been. Cold probably never really bothered him that much.

He must have stopped at home she realized – those were different clothes than he had yesterday. It probably wasn’t that weird since they apparently lived pretty close to each other, so the fact she didn’t come home with him still being there ended abandoned when he actually picked her up right here, making her absolutely overjoyed.

Her legs carried her faster than she thought they would, surprisingly sure on the high heels, and before she knew it she rushed into his arms like a she was starving for him and hugged him firmly, earning an equal hold in return.

“Looking so official,” he teased her with a gentle kiss on her temple, and she grinned and nudged his shoulder in reprimand. She almost missed Florianne and another woman walking past them, giving them sideway glances, until Cullen made a silent _oh_ and scrunched his nose.

“Yep,” she agreed on his questioning look and he rolled his eyes.

“Well, she seems even worse in person,” he mumbled quietly, but didn’t look behind him anymore, only slowly eased off his hold until he was only holding Eve’s hand.

“Lunch, my lady Inquisitor?” he smiled at her cheekily and she really thought that if this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad'
> 
> One more chapter to go and we will wrap this up, finally :D


End file.
